Polarity
by LoveShinobi-Angelv
Summary: AU. So long as the Moon is covered in blood, And the Sun in darkness, Evil will prevail.  Akito x Natsumi  Note: An OC story
1. Prologue

**Polarity**

_Chapter One_

-Prologue-

Long ago, in the days of peace, a mighty tribe ruled the vast land of Lundarion. It was a secluded mass of land, cut off from the rest of the world by its massive mountain range that ran along the border of its only land connection. The forests were green and plentiful as was the harvest. Their plains were filled with grass and beasts roamed freely. They gave thanks to all the spirits, but none were held higher than the Sun and Moon spirits. Said to descend upon the mortal world every few hundred years. As their civilization began to grow, they conspired to build a massive temple to where they could worship their deities properly. But as they began to construct this edifice, dispute broke out between the people. Some of the tribe believed the temple should be erected for the Sun god alone, since he blessed their world with brilliant light and warmth and bestowed their world with the gift of fire. Others, proclaimed that the sanctuary be dedicated to the Moon goddess, because in their time of darkness she led them with her luminescent glow. Unable to resolve their quarrels, the arguments began to turn violent and the tribe was broke into two fragments. One worshiping only the Sun and the other only the Moon. Torn apart, the sun worshippers, known now as the Taiyou, moved from their central location near the mountains and the forest surrounding them. While the Shichiyou, the moon worshippers, retreated to the coast.

With the temple uncompleted, it remained in the ruins of the old joint civilization. For generations, the tribes were at war, neither willing to accept the ones they once called brother. And as the years passed the hatred grew. But one day, suddenly, on the untouched tablet mounted in the unfinished temple. A prophecy appeared, bearing a warning and a hope.

_So long as the Moon is covered in blood,_

_And the Sun in darkness,_

_Evil will prevail._

_Though the Moon controls the tides,_

_The Sun empowers the radiance with its brilliant light._

_Together, they create _

_Symbolizing Life to Death_

_Separate, they are nothing to the evil one._

_But once they are joined, balance shall be restored to the blood stained land._


	2. Confrontation

**Polarity**

_Chapter Two_

-Confrontation-

Beautiful jade eyes scanned over the plain where the war between the two tribes was once again being waged. Natsumi leaned back, setting her hand on her hip as she searched the gory carnage for her opponent. The wind picked up, blowing her pink tresses around her face. She gripped her weapon more tightly in her hand and rolled her neck to loosen up. She was wearing something similar to a kimono. It was white with pastel pink cherry blossom petals decorating the edges and area over her breasts, and had no sleeves, revealing her smooth, toned arms. It opened in the front, showing some of her cleavage. She had an obi tied tightly around her waist and had slits up to her thighs on the sides. She wore black flats with tight, thigh high leggings.

She glanced down to the pendent hanging around her neck and picked up the flawless sapphire stone that was cut into a crescent moon. It was lined with white gold, shimmering in the bright sunlight that was shining down on the field. She took a better hold of her weapon, a long staff that was somewhat like a spear, but with two curved blades at the end instead of one.

Finally, her gaze locked on the one she was searching for. She smirked and twisted the staff in her hand before heading down the small hill she had occupied. She stepped over a few lifeless bodies, making her way to the engaged man. And once she was close enough, she twirled her scythe expertly and shot her hand out. A white flurry and chilled mist shot out and formed sharp icicles that were headed straight for the dark haired man. He quickly took down his opponent and turned, shooting out a wall of fire to melt the ice that was being sent his way.

"Still up to your old tricks I see." He smirked, twirling his sword expertly in his hand. He wore a long sleeved crimson shirt with black, gold-trimmed armored gloves that stopped just before his elbows. The shirt was lined in black, and opened enough to reveal some of his chest and the necklace that hung there. It was made of pure gold and was shaped like the sun, a large, bright ruby making up the center. His pants were black, as well as the armor on both of his shoulders, also trimmed in gold and making them seem broader than they were. He had on a pair of dark brown boots, and a black belt where his sword's scabbard was attached, another belt around his right leg, holding a small handful of throwing knives. He had a piece of cloth made of the same material as his shirt tied around his forehead to keep his ebony locks out of his face, and beneath it his forest green eyes sparkled with the thrill of the fight.

Natsumi moved back, pointing her scythe like weapon at her enemy. "Yes, well," she smiled deviously. "You know me."

"Unfortunately." He said, before running forward to attack her. She evaded his attacked expertly, flipping out of the way.

"And you're still as quick to jump into the fight as ever." She quipped, smirking at him.

He shrugged. "You know me, besides, it's not like you have any room to talk. You were the one who sought me out after all."

She let out a laugh and sped towards him, flipping her scythe around and aiming it for his heart as she began to attack in her own, dance like, style. "What do you expect? I can't help it, you just look so stunning in _red_." She seethed catching his arm, nipping his bicep and tearing through the cloth.

He grit his teeth as he spun around, lashing out with his sword in an attempt to knick her. He missed, but that didn't stop him from quickly pulling out a knife and tossing it towards her, slicing her cheek just enough to cause a line of blood to appear. "Oops, look like I cut your pretty little face." He taunted, standing in a defensive position.

Her eyes widened and her hand immediately went to her face, wiping some of the blood off. She looked at her fingers and the crimson liquid that stained them. "I see how it is." She said dully, locking her angry jade gaze with his. She charged at him once more and they began their intertwining dance of the blades. She swung and stabbed, but he always managed to block the volley she sent worth. Natsumi stepped back then, shifting her body weight, feigning an opening. Seeing it, Akito thrust his sword forward into the unprotected area of her stomach. Twirling her staff, she caught his blade in between her two and twisted the rod, forcing his weapon from his hands.

She shoved the tip of her scythe into the ground and swung around it, aiming a kick for his face, which connected and sent him stumbling back. She grimaced when he didn't fall and landed on the grass. She ripped up her long range weapon and charged after him once more, becoming more lethal now that he didn't have a weapon to fully protect himself from her. Seeing her running towards him, he summoned his fire to his hands and formed long whip-like things with them, lashing out with them both in an attempt to hit her, or at least distract her enough while he made his way over to his weapon.

"Don't think I don't see you Akito!" she frothed, a chilled fog beginning to emit from her hands. She wound her hands up and cut straight through the ropes, her chilled scythe covering the flames with solid ice and creeping towards him in attempts to encase his body. He let his flames die out before making a dive for his weapon, quickly grabbing it in a roll and making a wall of fire to protect himself before splitting his sword so that he now had two.

"Don't think I didn't know you saw me Natsumi." He said as his flames died down. "Regardless though, I still got what I wanted."

She spun around, waving her scythe back and forth, and with every swing icicles shot towards him, filling the air with their icy death. He quickly began to swing his swords in wide arcs, each time sending out fire balls to counter her ice. It wasn't long until the two were face to face, their weapons pressed against the others forcefully. "And so, we are here again." Akito said, sounding almost mournful, since every time he and Natsumi fought they wound up in this same impasse.

"Yeah." She frowned. "Guess you still can't beat me." She sighed and then went wide eyed, her gaze shifting quickly to her left as a barrage of arrows was shot towards her. She broke from their lock and fell back, just narrowly avoiding the deadly blows. Akito was over her just as she hit the ground, his sword at her throat.

"And so the Moon succumbed to the Sun." he said, not letting his assurance appear on his face. It was never over until she stopped breathing. Without a moment's hesitation he moved the tip of his blade and thrust down right above her heart. Her eyes widened and pain shot across her face, but she gripped her scythe and with him now held in place, she tilted it up and ran him through with the sharp tip.

She coughed, blood splattering out as her vision began to blur. "Hopefully you'll die this time." She smirked, twisting her wrist to turn the blade inside him.

He winced at the pain, and placed his other hand on the ground next to her face to steady himself. "Same to you." He said in a slightly pained voice. "Though I wouldn't be surprised if neither of us did. I'm beginning to think the only way we will die is if one of us chops the other up into little tiny bits." He said, his arm beginning to shake as he was losing the strength to hold himself off of her.

She closed her eyes, trying to regulate her breathing. "Which will never happen. What attempt is this?"

"Seventy eight I think," he managed out.

"Sounds about right." She opened her eyes slowly and smiled, "You really do look nice in red. If we don't die, I'll make sure to cover you in it next time."

He smirked, carefully lowering his body onto her so that he didn't cause either of them any more pain than necessary as they lay there dying. More so like bleeding a lot and dying momentarily. "I think, next time we meet, we should fight one on one." He said softly into her neck, since his head was on the ground next to hers. "That way nobody gets in our way. We should keep fighting until one of us doesn't wake up, and the survivor can claim victory for their people."

"I like that idea." She mused, shutting her eyes once more. "Then I will meet you at the unfinished temple and there we will finally decide who is better."

"You're on." He sighed, that same sense of complete blackness beginning to creep upon him. "Wear something pretty, that way, in the impossible event that I lose, I have something nice to look at one last time before I die." The corner of his mouth tilted up.

She huffed, "I always wear something pretty. I'm the moon remember, I always emit the beauty of its milky glow."

"I know, but I mean something extra pretty. Don't hold out on me now." He chuckled slightly, before turning his head and coughing up blood. They may be enemies, but he was enough of a gentleman not to just let it spew all over her face. In his befuddled state, he noted how soft her body felt beneath his, and wondered, as he sometimes did, that if things had been different between their villages, what his relationship with Natsumi would have been like. But he never thought long on the subject, for there was no point in idle musings.

They both fell unconscious then from the blood loss, the fight slowly dying around them as it normally did when they 'died'. It wasn't much longer till both tribes disbanded, vowing to get revenge if their prince or princess were killed.

* * *

><p>Natsumi groaned, trying to move but felt how sore her body was. Slowly, her eyes cracked open and she glanced out the massive window to see the sun beginning to set due to the orange sky. She looked up then, studying the ceiling and realized she was in her bedroom. She sat up and gasped, her hand instantly going to her shoulder.<p>

She grimaced seeing the bandage and removed it slowly, seeing nothing but a thin white line where there should have been a massive scar. "Now don't you go undoing all my hard work." A voice reprimanded.

Another woman walked in then, looking eerily similar to the one in the bed, save for her emerald green eyes. She was carrying a pitcher of water, and walked over to a table and set down the jug, pouring some into a cup and then handing it to Natsumi, who drank from it gratefully. "You had me worried you know." She said softly.

She tried to stifle a cynical laugh. "Why? I haven't died yet."

"Yet being the key word. I don't like how reckless you get fighting that boy." Sakura threw her hands in the air before picking up the discarded bandage and beginning to fold it. "Besides, this one was worse than the others, you were out longer."

"So what?" she glared. "Mother, don't you think it's weird? How I just can't seem to die."

The elder woman sighed before meeting her daughter's gaze. "Yes, but I am grateful for the fact that it keeps me from losing you." She brushed some of Natsumi's hair from her face. "I believe it means you are destined for something great, though I do not know what it is."

Natsumi sighed, but took her mother's hand gratefully. "I think it might be to finally win this war. Every time I'm with him, I feel something powerful deep within my soul. It must mean victory for us."

"I hope so. I am tired of seeing you dead and hoping that you wake up again. I know you never die, but it doesn't keep a mother from worrying." She smiled and kissed her on the forehead. "Now get dressed. Your father wishes to speak to you about the battle as soon as you're up and well. As always." She rolled her eyes as she spoke of her husband, though it was in good humor.

The younger woman smiled and nodded. "I'll be ready. I assume dinner is being served? It is almost nightfall."

Sakura nodded and placed her hand on her daughter's head, running her fingers through the pink tresses. "Yes. So don't take too long, you need to eat something with all that blood you've lost."

"I know, I know." Natsumi laughed and gestured for her mother to leave. "I will join you shortly." With that her mother left. The younger girl sighed and got up from her bed making her way towards her closet. She scanned her clothing with a hard gaze. If she was alive, then most likely Akito would be recovering as well. He never died when he was supposed to. Her gaze fell on something she'd yet to wear, since it was only to be worn for a celebration. But it would be. She would finally kill him and seeing as the moon would be rising soon, she would have the upper hand.

After pulling the outfit out, she left the room to the bathroom, which was just a room with a wooden tube filled with steaming water. Her mother always had a hot bath ready for her when she woke up. She washed herself in the heated water and cleaned her hair of the remaining blood and dirt. She emerged from the water and dried herself off, towel drying her hair. She walked back into her bedroom, nude, and began to dress.

The top was like a kimono, with sleeves that were tight around her biceps and then flowed freely down to her fingertips. The fabric was a soft, almost white pink with a dark pink trim that was trimmed by purple. She crossed the kimono top over her chest and wrapped around a deep pink corset, tightening it so it fit her snuggly. In the center of the corset, just beneath her breasts was a yellow crescent moon with the opening facing up. And over a layered, ruffled white skirt the ends of the kimono cascaded the whole bottom stopping just mid-thigh in the front and only a bit lower in the back.

Finally, she sat down and pulled on matching tights that came up just above her knees, decorated in the same fashion as the top. And once they were on she slipped on the matching purple flats. By then her hair had dried and she ran a brush through her tangled locks. She went over to the vanity and examined her appearance. Seeing that something was missing, she picked up the moon necklace she always wore and fastened it around her neck before dipping her fingers in a silvery dust, running it along her eyelids and giving her an almost luminescent look.

Satisfied with what she saw, she took her salvaged weapon, and left the room to join the rest of her tribe in their evening. When she arrived at the normal common area, all the chatter died away and she went to her spot beside her mother. The two redheads at the front focused their eyes on her, both looking confused.

"Natsumi, why are you dressed that way?" Sakura asked, her voice laced with worry and suspicion.

Said girl just smirked, "Because tonight is a celebration. By tomorrow, everything will change."

The elder redhead stood, looking down at his daughter. "You are not going anywhere. You've just awoken."

"And what do you mean by celebration? Do you have some kind of head injury that I missed?" Sakura asked, trying to examine her daughter's head.

Natsumi batted her mother's prying hand away. "No. It's a celebration, because with the full moon, our victory will finally be complete."

"Do elaborate." Sakura deadpanned, unconvinced.

"Do not worry." She smiled, looking confident. "I assure you, this will all end tonight." She stepped forward and kissed her mother's cheek and then did the same to her father.

Gaara grabbed onto her upper arm and glared down at his gifted daughter. "Do not leave. This end you speak of, I fear is not what you expect."

The younger male beside him nodded. "Don't go Natsumi. I have a foreboding feeling as well."

Sakura stood. "Please stay dear. You haven't fully recovered." She begged, her brow creased with worry. "What if you don't come back to us?" she asked softly, cold fear manifesting itself in the pit of her stomach.

"I am a warrior." She frowned. "It is not fair that I am being held back when if it were Toshiro in my place he would be cheered on. I can do this." She said strongly, showing that she was not going to back down. "And I promise. I will not die."

"Why can't you at least wait until you fully heal?" the elder woman asked.

"I am fully healed!" she yelled, losing her temper and shocking all around her. "You don't understand what it's like to be denied death! I wake up, when others should have died. I heal faster than anyone in our tribe. There isn't a scratch on me anymore!" she glared, backing up and pointing her weapon at them. Gaara pulled Sakura behind him and stared his youngest down.

"Natsumi. You need to relax."

The air became suddenly cold, the scent of death filling the air. "I am _calm_." She seethed.

Sakura peeked out from behind her husband, resting her hands on his back for support. "Honey, can't you see that we only have your best interests at heart? What will waiting a few days more to fight Akito harm?" she asked. "After all, you've never been this quick to leave and fight him before."

She sighed, lowering the sharp tip from its threatening position. "Fine. I will wait." She frowned, taking her seat on one of the cushions and resting her scythe beside her as she began to eat. Gaara watched her, a bit suspicious that she had given in so easily. But he took his place at the head and rose his glass to assure everyone that things were fine within their royal family. Sakura sat as well, still somewhat tense from everything that had just transpired. She resumed eating, but did so slowly, glancing to the side at her daughter every once in a while as if to see if she was still there.

The meal went by smoothly after that, seeming to return to normal. And after that, everyone retired for the evening since they were all weary from the battle. "Goodnight." She smiled to her parents, "You were right, I still feel worn from my injuries. Thank you." She bowed, kissing them both on the cheek.

"Goodnight Toshiro." She said, hugging her brother and then turning to her sister-in-law. "Sleep well Minako. May you be safe this night." She hugged her as well and then crouched down to her enlarged belly. "And you too small one. I await your birth anxiously." She giggled, rubbing the woman's smooth stomach.

Minako smiled down at her best friend, placing her hands on top of her stomach. "You and me both. If I'm pregnant any longer I think I'll explode." She joked. The pink haired woman joined her in her laughter and stood.

"I hope it's a girl. She would be so sweet, just like you."

"Hey now." Toshiro huffed. "I'm sweet too."

Everyone laughed then and looked at the heir. "Well good night my children." Gaara said, placing his hand on the small of his wife's back. "See you in the morning." He nodded and led Sakura off. Toshiro helped Minako off towards their own abode as Natsumi waited till she could no longer see any of them. As quickly as she could, she dashed towards the stables and readied her white stallion. Not wanting to be stopped, she led it out from the stables and through the back of the village before mounting the horse and taking off into the woods and heading west. She had made a promise and she intended to keep it.


	3. Revelation

**Polarity**

_Chapter Three_

-Revelation-

Akito's eyes shot open and he instantly sat up, looking around. Seeing that he was in his room, he rose from his bed and walked into his bathroom, readying himself a bath. Filling his tub with water, he lazily held out a hand and shot fire into the water, waiting until it began to boil. He liked his baths nice and hot after all.

As he stood there, he looked down and examined his naked torso, seeing that his wound was almost fully healed. After learning that he didn't die or stay injured for long, his father had ordered that he not be tended to or cared for, saying that it was just a waste. Akito didn't care really, he could take care of himself anyways. Once the water was ready he quickly bathed and dressed in an extra pair of clothes. Just as he was slipping on his boot, a servant hesitantly came into the room. "What do you want?" he asked, rising from his seat and picking up his sword, separating it and swinging it them both around expertly to stretch.

"U-um, my lord, th-the king wishes to see you immediately." The man stuttered, watching in fear as Akito clicked his swords together abruptly and sheathed it.

"Very well." He said, walking past the servant and down the corridor to the throne room. He entered without waiting to be announced, stopping before the elder Uchiha's throne. "You summoned me father?" he asked in a slightly bored tone.

"Yes. I want you to go and make sure that little moon trollop is dead." Sasuke said.

Akito smirked. "I know she isn't, I can feel it. Don't worry though, I am off to fight her to the death. We will not stop our battle until one or both of us no longer awaken once more."

"Good. Then go. Do not forget that you are disadvantaged because of the full moon."

"I won't. See you when I get back." He turned and waved over his shoulder.

"Akito." His father called. Said boy turned to see his sire giving him a serious look. "If you fail, I and the entire village will curse your name beyond the grave, ensuring that you do not make it into Heaven."

"Very well." Akito nodded stiffly before exiting the room, walking until he reached the stables. Mounting his black stallion, he pulled out his necklace, kissing the ruby in the center for good luck the way he always did before leaving for battle. He kicked his horse into gear then, galloping off to his victory.

* * *

><p>He halted his horse in its tracks just as he cleared the forest, seeing Natsumi's horse already tethered off. Slowly, he rode over next to it, dismounting and tying his horse as well. Patting the beast's flank, he walked around the pillar and into the unfinished temple.<p>

Because it had never been completed by either of the tribes, it was still technically outside, and so had plants and vines growing up and around what had been built before the village split in two. He walked up some of the steps and stopped dead in his tracks at the sight that greeted him.

There, inside the open ceilinged temple, by one of the two completed statues was Natsumi. He walked forward, unable to believe what he saw. In front of the constructed marble moon, was a massive clear crystal, encasing the flawless being inside. Her eyes were closed and she looked pained, holding the scythe he had felt so many times. But even with the pained expression on her face, she still looked so serene.

He circled the crystal, examining it as he did so, and stopped when he was in front of her once more. Reaching up a hand, he touched the hard rock, testing to see if this was just a figment of his imagination. Suddenly he heard a dark chuckle, and quickly drew his sword, turning in the direction he had heard the sound. He saw a dark, hooded figure, an evil smirk visible on their jaw. Before he could say anything a blinding white light was shot at him, making him freeze in place. He felt his organs beginning to shut down, and he closed his eyes as pain enveloped his body, the feeling of death coming upon him again, only ten times worse.

The cloaked figure came closer, unable to hold in his maniacal laughter. He examined the new crystal, the boy didn't look near as peaceful as the girl did. But he supposed it didn't really matter. He was holding his sword tightly, brought in front of him. An old hand touched the smooth stone. "I would have liked to have gotten those wonderful weapons, but soon your bodies will deteriorate within the crystal and they will be mine." He whispered to himself, before disappearing in a dark, swirling miasma.

All that remained in the temple were the two, frozen in time, captured in place. A place they would inhabit for the next two hundred years.


	4. Awakening

**Polarity**

_Chapter Four_

-Awakening-

_**Two Hundred Years Later…**_

A line of men and women walked into the Temple of the Sun and the Moon, singing a hymn. They all wore white robes, with a rope around their waists as a belt. Hanging from each of their necks were chains of woven silver and gold, a pendant of the moon encompassing the sun in the center, each fashioned to mimic the ones around the two god's necks.

They walked down the aisle to the temple before stopping and changing formation, so that they were in two rows. They all knelt then and bowed, continuing to sing to their deities. The sound of stone cracking caused them all to stop and look up, each going wide eyed. Through the hole in the ceiling the sunlight had come in and was shining directly on the statue of the dark haired man, causing its bright rays to illuminate the entire room, also reflecting off the crystal surrounding the woman. The crystal surrounding his body continued to crack, chunks of it falling off and hitting the floor.

"The Sun God, he awakens!" one of the priests exclaimed, standing and pointing at the statue, though it was obvious.

Suddenly the god's eyes opened, and with a grimace, he twisted his body, causing the rest of his confines to shatter and fly across the room. He groaned and stretched, cracking all of his bones. Suddenly he was on alert and he looked around at his surroundings, the expression on his face one of puzzlement. For where he was couldn't be where he had been imprisoned, it was too nice.

It was a large temple made of alabaster stone, large pillars inside the entire place. He was up on a circular platform, and behind him was a large statue of the sun made in beautiful marble. Across from him was Natsumi, on her own platform and still encased in crystal, a large crescent moon made of the same marble behind her. Between the two was an altar of some sort, probably for sacrifices. The entire place was very bright and airy, welcoming any who would come ad serve the deities within.

When his forest green eyes landed on the priest that was standing, and narrowed harshly, making the man gulp. "You." He pointed his sword at him. "Where the hell am I?" he asked harshly.

"U-um, well, you-" suddenly the other statue began to crack, and everyone, including Akito, turned their gazes to where Natsumi was. The man gasped. "The Moon Goddess awakens as well!" he said gleefully.

"But the moon has not risen yet!" one of the women cried out. "She should not enter this world other than in her element of night!"

Akito glared at the woman. "Will you shut up?" he said, causing her to close her mouth. Then he looked back at Natsumi, whose eyelids had begun to flutter. Not sure if she had the strength to break out the way he did, he sheathed his sword and walked over to her. Taking his scabbard off his belt, he began to hit the rock to loosen it.

Suddenly, as he hit the rock once more it exploded, sending him flying off the platform. He slid across the smooth stone and stared up at the ceiling having had his new breath knocked from him. As the chilled fog began to clear from the crystal Natsumi slowly stood from her kneeling position and looked around, taking in the massive structure. Finally, she glanced down seeing the fearful faces of the group. "Who are you?" she demanded, looking very worn in the sunlight.

Akito stood then and shook of the crystal that was on him before making his way back towards her. "That's what I asked, but all they did was look at me like a bunch of fish out of water." He said, tying his sword back onto his belt.

Natsumi jade gaze fell on her enemy and she instantly tense, twirling her scythe around and then lowering into an offensive stance. "Is this some sort of trick? What did you do to me? It was night but a moment ago."

The others were wide eyed, appalled that she would point her blade at him. "My goddess," one of the younger women spoke up, stepping forward boldly. "I don't understand, why are you bearing the scythe at your consort?"

The woman blinked, shifting her gaze from Akito to the slender little thing. "My what?" she asked, looking horrified. Akito had a similar expression on his face as he paused in his step.

"Her what?" he asked.

"Your consort my lord." The priest from before seeming to regain his voice. "As the God of the Sun, it is only natural you and the Goddess of the Moon be bound together for all eternity as husband and wife." This made Akito laugh.

"Me, bound to her?" he asked, pointing at Natsumi. "Not likely." He shook his head.

"Where in the world did you get such a cockamamie idea?" Natsumi asked, placing her hand on her hip and pointing at the man with her scythe. "In what world could we possibly be in where the Sun and the Moon would be bound to each other? The Shichiyou and the Taiyou hate one another."

They all looked confused and began to speak to one another in hushed tone, until another spoke up. "My Lady," he paused, hesitating in fear. "The Shichiyou and Taiyou no longer exist."

Natsumi frowned, her gaze turning into an icy glare as the temperature in the room dropped extremely low, despite the bright sun. "What."

"You see, two hundred years ago, when the prince of the Taiyou and the Princess of the Shichiyou disappeared, both tribes looked everywhere for them. Then, they found the two of you frozen in crystal. It was then that the fighting stopped, and both groups built this temple." He gestured to the building they were in. "We are what used to be both the Shichiyou and the Taiyou, but we now call ourselves the Shuensha, the stars living amongst the sun," he nodded to Akito. "And the moon." He looked at her.

Akito frowned, and refrained from saying that he was the missing prince. Suddenly everything the priest said dawned on him, and his eyes widened. "Two hundred years?" he yelled. "I've been stuck in that damned crystal for two hundred years?" flames exploded from him then, causing everyone to cover their eyes from the bright light. Suddenly they died down, as Akito suddenly became quiet. "My father…is dead." He said softly.

Natsumi just stared down at them, not seeing the people there or anything for that matter. She wasn't even affected by the explosion of heat she had felt. Two hundred years? What used to be the Shichiyou? She began to tremble, feeling cold, which was something she had never experienced before. And as the tears began to cascade down her face in an endless fall, she realized she was screaming.

Ice shot out from around her, covering the entire front of the temple and creeping hastily towards the people. "My Lady!" they cried.

"Get out!" she screeched at the top of her lungs, falling to her knees as she thought about her parents and her brother. They were all gone and she would never see them again. She dropped her scythe and held onto her head trying to calm her raging emotions, but it did nothing to quail the blizzard that was beginning to swarm angrily in the large temple. Akito's eyes widened and he looked at the people that were running from the place. Deciding that he needed to stop this now, he covered his entire body in flames to protect himself from the cold as he made his way towards her.

"Natsumi!" he yelled. "Calm down! I know you're upset, but we have to think rationally about this!"

"Rationally!" she glared down at him, hate the only visible emotion on her features. "My family is _dead_!" she screamed, only making the wind pick up and ice cover the entire inside of the palace like worship.

He glared at her. "And mine isn't?" he asked, coming even closer. "Look, obviously we were preserved for a reason, I think what we should do is try to learn about what's happened since we left to meet all those years ago." He stopped before her and crouched so that they were eye level. "Maybe we still have some living relatives, you know…like a great-great niece or something." He tried, shrugging. Natsumi just cried, but it was no longer sobbing and he could feel the temperature beginning to rise back to the norm. Then they both froze when their stomachs groaned out in agony.

Natsumi placed her hands over her belly and groaned. "I'm so hungry."

"Me too." Akito said, letting his flames die down and rubbing his stomach. "Maybe that fat priest can get us some food."

"I probably scared them off," she frowned, sitting down and bringing her knees to her chest, hugging them closely as if she were trying to condense herself.

He chuckled. "Yeah, but let's go check anyways." He said, holding his hand out to her. "Besides, I want to see how everything has changed, don't you?"

"Not really…" she frowned, looking at his hand and then helping herself up. "If you don't recall the last time I willingly touched you, you burned me." She said with a sigh. Natsumi stuck her foot underneath her scythe and kicked it up, catching it in her hand before stepping down from the platform and heading towards the thawing entrance.

He rolled his eyes and followed her. "Yeah, and if you don't recall, we were kids."

"Well if _you_ don't recall, it still hurt." She snapped without looking back at him.

"Well if _you_ don't recall, you healed. Big woop." He glared at the back of her head. "And it wasn't even that big of a burn."

"We as _you_ recall, we were little and it still hurt and you made me cry. And _technically_ it was your fault that our tribes continued to fight." She pointed out, still sounding bitter as they walked out into the brilliant sunlight.

"Please." He scoffed. "It was your father's for being too overprotective. It's not like I tried to burn you on purpose, but no, daddy just couldn't bear to see his precious baby cry." He mocked, squinting slightly as the bright sun blinded his eyes momentarily, since they hadn't been used in so long.

Natsumi huffed up and crossed her arms angrily. "Sorry I don't have daddy problems like you emo. I experienced love as a child and my dad actually had a heart unlike _somebody's_."

"And look where it got you. I'm not upset that my family is dead, especially not my father, and I didn't have an extremely embarrassing freak out a few moments ago, _psycho_." He smirked.

She whirled around on him then, glaring hatefully up at him, only able to see his eyes from their close proximity. "Are you really making fun of me because I miss my parents and my loving family? I didn't even get to see my sister-in-law's baby be born!"

"Not my problem." He said, returning her glare. "I may have been alone most of my life, but at least I don't have the emotional baggage that you do."

She smacked him across the face without warning, though he could see the tears forming in her eyes. "I hate you," she yelled, but she only sounded hurt. She pulled away from him and started walking again, seeing the group from earlier, waiting beside a large fountain that was made out of beautiful white marble.

He frowned but chose to remain silent as he followed her over to the group of priests. "We're hungry." He told them, stopping next to them.

They looked between the two, having witnessed the scene from just a moment ago. "Of course, my lord." One of the men nodded and gestured for them to follow. "The city is just around the corner and over the river. I know you will be pleased. It is a magnificent city that is envied by most of the country."

"Hm." Was all Akito said, and, ever the gentleman, gestured for Natsumi to walk ahead of him.

Ignoring the gesture since she was still angry with him, she walked ahead, keeping her eyes forward. "My goddess, I can see that you are upset. But do not worry, there is a full moon tonight." One said, trying to make the brooding woman feel more at ease.

"Good." She said sharply, resting the staff of her weapon on her shoulder. Akito sighed and followed them as they walked through the woods and across the bridge. He could recognize the land, and was surprised to see that the lake where he used to live had connected with the one near the cliffs. They continued to walk until they came upon a huge castle town.

The city was massive and there was a beautiful castle alongside the beach. The walls around the city were tall and protective looking. The whole place was made up of the same material that the temple was and looked flawless. Natsumi stopped and looked around, taking in the scenery. "This used to be a plain…"

"Yes." One of their guides nodded. "It was said that this plain was the most common fighting spot between the two tribes before they made peace."

"It was." Akito said, looking around. The priest continued forward, leading them to the palace. They walked through the doors and down a long hallway. After he was announced, they walked through a large set of double doors, where at the end were two large thrones, in them a man with blonde hair, and a woman who looked scarily similar to Natsumi.

"My lord." He bowed to the man. "My lady." He bowed to the woman. "May I present to you the God of the Sun, and the Goddess of the Moon. They have just awakened." He said, gesturing to Akito and Natsumi, who were both staring at the queen in absolute shock.

The woman sitting in the throne was dressed finely, her soft pink hair cascading all around her to the small of her back. Her eyes were almost the same shade of jade at Natsumi's, but her expression looked closer to that of the Shichiyou chief's. The queen's eyes fixed on the goddess and she stood. "Um," she blinked, snapping from her daze. "I welcome you, God and Goddess."

"Yeah, she is definitely related to you." Akito said, glancing at Natsumi.

"No duh." She glared at him slightly before stepping forward. "Look, I am not the goddess of the moon. I was a Shichiyou princess and nothing more." She tried to clear up.

The blonde man beside the queen stood. "If you are not the goddess incarnate, then why were you frozen in celestial crystal? It is the only substance able to confine an immortal. And you look like a heavenly being. Do you not house the power of ice?"

Natsumi blinked and nodded. "Yeah, but how does that make me the goddess?"

"The prophecy. After the temple was completed a new prophecy was inscribed. 'Under the illusion of fire and ice the god and goddess will return.'" He explained.

Akito snorted. "Please, I am no god. I was the prince of the Taiyou, and was incased in that crystal by some hooded man when I went to meet Natsumi and fight her." He explained.

"So you deny the prophecy is true? If you were not immortal gods, then how did you survive the crystal? How are you still alive?"

Natsumi opened her mouth to object but then closed it. "You know…I'm not sure."

"I never really considered the fact that we can't die makes us immortal." Akito scratched the back of his head. "But I still don't see how we are the ones who are going to fulfill the prophecy. We don't even like each other. The war may be over, but to us, we were just fighting each other yesterday."

"Well," the queen began. "My name is Satomi. I am the queen of the Shuensha. I am descended from the old Shichiyou line."

"And I am Kyo, king of the Shuensha, descended from the Taiyou line." The blonde said. "Welcome to our kingdom. Please let us know if there is anything we can do to make your stay more comfortable."

"You could feed us for starters. Not eating in over two hundred years makes a person kind of hungry." Akito said.

Natsumi nodded, rubbing her grumbling stomach. Satomi lifted her hand and gestured to some of the servants to leave to prepare a feast. "Show our God and Goddess to their room and let them relax while a festive meal is prepared for them." She ordered.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!" Natsumi shook her head and waved her hands in the air. "I'm all for letting you treat me as your goddess or whatever. But we are not sleeping in the same bed, nor the same room." She said, pointing between her and Akito.

Satomi looked confused at this and looked to her husband. He shrugged and then looked at the two before him. "Are you two not bound together in wedlock?" he asked.

"How many times do we have to tell you people that we were enemies and fought each other all the time?" Akito asked. "We are the farthest thing from being bound to each other."

"But our stories say that the Moon and the Sun are forever destined to be with one another in the cycles of life. One cannot survive without the other." Satomi told them.

"Well we are not married. So we will be needing separate rooms." Natsumi sighed, crossing her arms.

Satomi nodded and looked to the servants. "Well please show the god and goddess to their rooms. And make sure they are comfortable." The servants nodded and walked off, with Akito and Natsumi following. They made their way through the corridors of the palace before stopping in front of two sets of double doors.

"These are your rooms. My lady, you may stay in the one on the left." One servant said, gesturing to the doors.

"And my lord, you may stay in this room on the right." The other servant said. "We will have some new clothes brought for you to change into, and baths have already been drawn. Dinner will be ready shortly, so until then, make yourselves comfortable." He said, before both of them walked off.

Akito sighed and walked over to his door, grabbing the handle before looking over at Natsumi. He appeared as if he were going to say something, but instead just frowned slightly, opening the door to his room and going inside to bathe.

Natsumi looked off and grew angry. She walked over to his door and kneeled down, pressing her palm on the cool marble. Slowly, the floor began to cool and crept into his room, coating the whole floor in a thin layer of ice. She got up and walked to her door, heading in. "Stupid jerk didn't even say I looked pretty." She huffed.

In his room Akito bathed quickly, stepping out of his tub without looking at the floor. He slipped, falling on his rear, and let out a curse. Standing carefully, he heated the ice so that it melted and then got dressed in the clothes that were lying on his bed. When he was done, he was wearing a pair of nice fitting black pants and boots that stopped just beneath his knees. His black shirt was tight and sleeveless, accentuating his muscles. He left the collar open so that part of his chest and his necklace were visible. On his elbows he had guards, with a bit of metal to protect them, and a pair of black, fingerless gloves on his hands. He tied his sword onto his belt, and ran his fingers through his hair, leaving off the headband, since he wanted to try and fit in with the times.

Once he was finished he left his room and began to head back towards the dining room. He paused in his step and then backed up until he was in front of the door to Natsumi's room. Pressing his ear against the wood, he strained to listen to her bathing. Waiting quite some time, he finally heard her get out of the tub and begin to get dressed. After a few more minutes he could tell that she was probably almost done, and had to hold in a chuckle. Smirking evilly, he grabbed the handles to her doors and heated them until they glowed red, so that when she grabbed the other handles she was burned. Sure, it would hurt a bit, but she'd heal. Pleased with his work, he ran off to eat so that he wouldn't get caught.

Natsumi had her hands behind her back, tightening the silver sash around her waist. The clothes she had been given were actually pretty amazing. The top was black, aside from the trim which was silver as well. It crossed over in the front and was held together with the sash. The front of the shirt hung just a bit lower, but the back stopped just below her rear. She had on tight black pants that were almost like leggings and black boots that stopped just below her knees. After running a brush through her hair she walked towards the door and grabbed onto the handle, crying out in pain as she whipped the burned flesh back.

She cursed aloud and held her wounded hand around the wrist, examining the burns. Natsumi glared at the door then and grabbed the towel she had used to open the door. She grabbed her scythe from its place against the wall and ran out looking around for the flame master. She knew he had to be close by because the knob had been extremely hot. "Akito!" she yelled, running down the hall and turning the corner with a bit of a slide. She saw him glance back from his run and then disappear down the steps.

She growled and looked around in a calculating manner before dashing towards a window and climbing out. She dropped down and gripped onto the upper sill, thrusting herself in and tackling the Taiyou prince to the ground, since he was still looking behind him. She pinned him to the hard floor with her legs, straddling his chest, with his head right between her legs. "You thought you could out run me?" she glared.

He glanced at the sight before him and then up at her, taking in her new clothes. "Maybe I knew you'd catch me, and was hoping we'd land in this position." He said, smirking slightly. "I like these better than that dress you were wearing. They flatter your figure more properly."

She punched him in the face and puffed up like an angry little fish. "I dressed up just for you! And it was beautiful, it was my favorite outfit that I'd never gotten a chance to wear and you didn't even say anything!"

He blinked, staring at her until understanding lit his eyes. "Oh yeah, I did tell you to dress up, didn't I?" he asked, though it was rhetorical. "Well, you did look pretty, the dress was very flattering. I just like this outfit better."

She rolled her eyes and hit him over the top of his head. "You only like it when you can see my breasts you pig."

"What can I say? I am a man, and I appreciate an attractive woman when I see one." He shrugged beneath her. "Now, unless we're about to engage in some sexual activities, I would appreciate it if you could get off me so I can eat."

"But of course," she said a bit too sweetly, smiling evilly. She moved a bit, as if she were about to get off of him, and then leaned back and hit him in right in the groin with a fisted hand. She flipped off him then and smirked as he cried out from the blow. "That's for burning my hand you swine!" she snickered and ran off towards the meeting hall and disappeared around the corner.

He groaned and rolled so that he could get off the floor, slowly making his way to the dining hall. When he got there Natsumi was already eating with the king and queen, and she gave him a triumphant look before returning to her food. He narrowed his eyes and walked behind her, shoving her head down so that she choked slightly on what she was eating before walking over to his seat, which was across from her. Without a word, and ignoring the glare Natsumi sent his way, he began to eat the meat on his plate.

"Anyways." Natsumi began, not taking her hate filled gaze from the Uchiha. "As I was saying, before I was so _rudely_ interrupted by a savage," she seethed, glancing at Satomi. "I was from the Shichiyou, and my brother was Sabaku no Toshiro."

"Is that so?" the woman smiled actually. "I am descended from him. Though, I guess it is obvious to see."

"Duh." Akito said lowly, taking a drink of his water. Kyo looked at the other man then.

"So, what was life like for you, as the prince of the Taiyou? Your father was Uchiha Sasuke, correct?" he asked curiously.

At the mention of his sire Akito stopped eating and sat back, looking at the blonde. "Not much to say. Ever since I was young I was trained to fight and kill people. I wasn't allowed to have friends, and never really did anything other than train, fight, and come back to life. The last thing my father ever said to me was that if I failed he and the village would forever curse my name so that access to heaven was denied me." He said. "So basically, I'm pretty happy that he's dead."

Natsumi frowned and looked down, setting her fork aside, somewhat losing her appetite. "I'm sorry…" she said without thinking and then went wide eyed, but refused to look up and see his face.

He gave her a considering look before picking up another piece of meat. "Don't be. I mean, really the only thing I had to look forward to was fighting you, and it was only because I kinda liked you." His eyes widened and he quickly tried to cover his blunder. "Uh…I mean…it's only because you fight really well. Don't look into it or anything." He shoved some food into his mouth then so that he didn't say anything else embarrassing.

"Of course," she blushed, not looking up either and just continuing to eat. "Why should I? We were just born to fight one another after all, and you like a challenge."

"Right." He said after he swallowed. Kyo exchanged a knowing look with his wife before looking back at the two.

"Well, I'm sure you're both curious to hear of what has happened since you were frozen." He said.

Natsumi nodded, glad for the distraction. "Yes. I noticed that some of the western mountains are no longer over the horizon."

"Yes." He became sullen then. "An immortal wizard by the name of Orochimaru took over the lands many years ago, and is now the high ruler. But all he does is oppress the people. We believe that he is the darkness described in the prophecy, and that the two of you are here to save us from him."

Akito looked at him. "I'm not going to fight some man just to free a bunch of people I don't know."

"But, my lord, they are your people." Kyo blinked, looking surprised.

"No," Akito glared. "I am finally able to do what I want with my life instead of fight every day. My people are dead. I do not know these people, and so I have no reason to fight for them."

"How are your people dead?" Satomi interjected. "Your people lived on and carried on the line of Taiyou. This is your land that has been destroyed just as much as it is ours. Orochimaru had his troops run through your village and murder at will. It was only then that they fled to the coast and joined with the Shichiyou once again. Then the two of you were found in the temple and they had to protect you from the army."

He looked at the queen. "My people are the ones who died protecting our land, not the cowards who fled. Cowardice is not the way of the Taiyou, nor are we brought up to believe in it." he said. "Besides, even if the army had somehow managed to destroy the crystal I was encased in, I would have then been set free and killed them all. I can't die, so my protection was unnecessary." He took a bite of his food then.

"Wow." Kyo said, shaking his head. "You are such a bitter person."

"No, not bitter, practical. Emotions hold you back, and so we are taught not to feel them." He said.

"He's just saying that." Natsumi finally spoke, looking to Kyo. "He doesn't want to feel because the one time he was offered love he ruined it." she said simply, picking up her fork and plucking it into the last piece of meat.

"Whatever." Akito muttered, finishing his water. "Not like I did it on purpose or anything." He stuck his fork in the last piece of meat, right in front of Natsumi's. They made eye contact then, both giving the other a threatening look. "Let go of the meat if you know what's good for you.

"Excuse me?" she fumed, jerking the succulent meat towards her. "What ever happened to common courtesy? Or ladies first?"

"Act like a lady and maybe I'll treat you like one." He said, tugging it in his direction.

She jerked it back, her glare turning icier. "Well maybe you should be a gentleman and just let me have the last piece." She growled out, looking more menacing.

"Or maybe you could respect your better and just give up." He said lowly, glaring more harshly at her. "Besides, it'll only make you fat."

Natsumi stood, keeping her fork in the meet and picking up her scythe. Everyone went wide eyed when she made a jab at him that he narrowly avoided. "Are you insinuating that I could possibly get fat?" she asked, her voice devoid of all emotion.

He stood as well, drawing his sword with his free hand. "Maybe I am, and maybe I'm not. You'll never know." He said, digging his fork deeper in the meat and yanking it towards him. "Now be a good little girl and drop it." he hissed.

"You drop it you asshole." She snapped, jerking it back towards herself.

"Oh my God!" Satomi yelled out, looking more than annoyed. She picked up her sharp steak knife and cut the piece of meat in half. "There!" she snapped, giving them both a scolding look. "Goodness, you two are like little selfish children." She grumbled, sitting back down and continuing to eat her salad.

"Nice work honey." Kyo reached over and pat her thigh before returning to his meal. Akito looked down at the two halves of steak.

"Hah!" he said, looking triumphant. "My piece is bigger." Then he stuck it in his mouth, quickly chewing and swallowing the piece of meat. Just as he swallowed Natsumi's foot made contact with his face and sent him onto his back.

"You're such a prick." She glared, picking up her piece and eating it. "I'm going to sleep. Don't disturb me." She told the rest of the group before heading towards the door.

Akito stood, shaking his head slightly. "What a bitch." He muttered, leaving the room without saying a word to the two royals. When the two gods were gone, Kyo looked to Satomi.

"They're a lot less mature than I would have guessed." He said. "The next few days prove to be very interesting."

"Yes well," Satomi sighed. "They are young. I think the goddess is only of nineteen years in mortal life."

"True. That would make the god only twenty in his mortal life." He sighed and smiled at her. "If only they were as wise as we. Perhaps they just need to get used to the idea of not being enemies any longer, and they will learn to like each other."

Satomi help up a finger. "But we were not always wise. They are just young and ignorant. And that boy just can't ever seem to say the right thing. He's arrogant and confused. And it doesn't help that she's conceited and vulnerable to his verbal attacks."

"True. Perhaps there is a way we can manipulate them into liking the other. I do want that tyrant taken down after all." He grasped her hand and kissed the back of it. "But those are things to discuss in the morning, and after we get to know them a bit more. For now, I say we all adjourn to our rooms. It has been an exciting day for all of us."

She nodded. "I agree." They stood then, as did the others at the table with them. "Sleep well everyone. Our kingdom is about to be shaken by two mighty gods." She sighed, allowing her husband to lead her off.


	5. Discoveries

**Polarity**

_Chapter Five_

-Discoveries-

Akito held in a yawn as he and Natsumi followed the king and queen around the city. They had now been awake for three days, two of which had been used for them to regenerate their lost tissue, and reacquaint themselves with fighting and being able to move. Now they were being shown everything that had changed, and it wasn't that it wasn't interesting, it was just that Akito didn't care.

All he really wanted to do was find some woman to bed. It had been ages since he'd had a good roll in the hay, literally, and he knew it would get rid of all his tension. He and Natsumi had gotten along a bit better, but it was only because every time they started to fight, they never really got to go for the other's throat, so to speak, and so they attempted to be civil at least.

They walked until they reached a large training ground where the king's soldiers practiced, each and every one of them coming to attention when they saw their two leaders approach. "Men, this is the God of the Sun, and the Goddess of the Moon. Two great warriors who have come to save us from the darkness," he turned and glanced at Akito. "Despite what they may believe."

One of the men stepped forward then, looking of a pretty good build. He took off his helmet, revealing a crop of orange hair and blue eyes. "Sire, I can understand him being a great warrior." He gestured to Akito. "But her, I cannot help but feel doubt. Not only is she a woman, but she is too frail looking to be of any use on the battlefield."

Akito's eyes widened and he snorted. "Oh, this kid is gonna die." He said lowly, looking at Natsumi, who looked less than happy. "I think you should humiliate him." he suggested.

"I see men have become more ignorant as time has passed. Or women have belittled themselves too much." She sighed, surveying the warrior. "What do you think I should do?" she glanced up at Akito, remaining by his side.

"Perhaps, he needs to be taught a lesson about judging a book by its cover." He rubbed his chin and looked down at her. "You wouldn't even need to use your ice to kick his ass anyways." He smiled slightly.

She nodded and held her weapon out to him, "Hold this." She said, walking forward and stretching a bit. She cracked her neck and stood in front of the soldier, having to look up at him to see his face.

He looked down at her with contempt. "You're not really going to challenge me, are you? And not even use your weapon?" he asked, seeming skeptical.

"A real warrior doesn't need a weapon to overcome an opponent." She smirked, setting her hands on her hips.

"Alright, then I won't use one as well." He placed his sword down, along with his helmet. "But I'm not going to go easy on you just because you're a girl." From the sidelines Akito just smirked and shook his head, knowing that Natsumi would be the victor anyways.

Kyo looked between the two. "On my mark." He lifted his hand but Natsumi already moved towards the soldier, sliding down and sweeping her foot beneath him and knocking him onto his back. She grabbed for his sword and held it to his throat.

He looked up at her in shock. "You cheated." He accused. Akito rolled his eyes and walked over there.

"Oh just shut up and admit she won. In a real fight you won't be waiting for anyone's mark, your opponent will just strike." He said, holding her weapon out to her. "Military training certainly has declined since our time." He remarked.

She took it from him and held the tip to his throat, tossing his sword aside. "If you want me to play by your terms, I can do that as well." She moved off him and stood straight, waiting for him to get back up.

He did so, grabbing his sword and getting into an offensive stance. Akito silently moved out of the way, wanting to observe him get beaten yet again, since he could point out five ways the boy was leaving himself open. Kyo raised his hand once more. "Ready, and, go!" he said, quickly lowering it. The soldier charged at Natsumi then, letting out a loud battle cry.

Without so much as moving from her stance, she thrust her scythe forward, catching his blade between the two of hers and twisting it from his grip. She brought the blunt end forward and hit his diaphragm, knocking the wind from him before he kneeled over in attempts to regain it. "Isn't there anyone better?" she asked, looking around with a bored expression.

All the other men were wide eyed, too afraid to answer her question. Akito stepped forward then, drawing his sword. When Natsumi looked to him he shrugged. "For old time's sake. Besides, I think they need to be shown the proper way to fight an opponent, so a short demonstration won't kill us." He smirked at the truth behind his words. "Weapons only? Or are you dying to feel my heat?" he raised a brow.

She rolled her eyes and spun around, swinging her scythe in a large arch, sharp icicles shooting straight at him. He spun his swords in his hands, shooting out a ball of fire for each icicle she shot, each causing a small burst. Natsumi jumped through the clearing fog the mixture of heat and chill created and came after him, not holding anything back.

He blocked every hit that she sent his way, and vice versa. All of the other men just watched in awe as the two gods moved with such fluidity, using not only their weapons but their bodies as well, as if the two were one. Seldom did they use their gifts, for the most part just sparring. When they both were at a standstill, their weapons locked with the others, everyone erupted into applause. Kyo walked towards them, smiling.

"Excellent. That was such a treat to see." He said. Akito and Natsumi didn't even seem to hear the king, both just staring into the other's eyes, since this was the first time they had fought without the goal of killing the other. They snapped from their daze quickly and broke apart, trying to act as if nothing had happened.

"Yes, well, we were both the best fighters in our villages." Akito said, sheathing his sword. He looked to Natsumi, the corner of his mouth lifting a bit. "You haven't lost your touch." He complimented.

"Of course I haven't." she smirked, walking away from him then. "I'm hungry Kyo." She told the blonde, stopping before him. He smiled at her.

"I do believe it's about time for lunch anyways. Come." He said, placing his hand on Satomi's back and leading her back towards the castle. Akito followed them, feeling hungry as well.

When they reached the palace they went straight to the dining room, where their midday meal was already prepared for them. They all took their seats and began to eat in silence, until Kyo stopped eating and looked at the two before him. "Would the both of you be interested in training our soldiers?" he asked. "From the looks of things they could use it, and you are experts."

Akito looked at the blonde. "I don't know…" he said, seeming unsure.

"Well, it's not like you really have anything better to do. I mean, I know you said you didn't want to fight anymore, but at least this way you can tell people what to do all day and humiliate them."

"Touché." He took a bite of his steak then.

"I think you should." Natsumi commented, biting into an apple, and looking out the window at the sea.

He looked at her and nodded. "Then I will. Clearly the men need to be better trained." He tilted his head to the side. "What are you going to do to occupy your time?"

"Whatever I feel like doing." She replied simply, not going further into detail. Satomi glanced at her and then to Akito. She wanted to stop the argument before it could begin.

"Well tonight, we have prepared a massive feast, where you can meet all of the nobles. And we have a gift for you both, should you choose it or not."

"What kind of gift?" Akito asked, giving her a suspicious look. "I don't really like surprises."

"You will like this surprise." She promised, getting a spoonful of her soup and sipping at it.

Natsumi sighed, not looking all too thrilled until Satomi said they would need to dress up, which always sparked Natsumi's interest. She was, after all, a princess. Akito grimaced slightly but remained silent. He hated surprises, almost as much as he hated dressing up and going to formal events. The rest of lunch was eaten in silence, and then Akito rose and walked to the door, not really giving an excuse as to where he was going.

Natsumi watched his back disappear and then looked to Satomi. "I'm going to go wash up and take a nap, I get very tired during the day." She smiled and bowed out, before taking her weapon and leaving as well.

Satomi looked to her husband. "You think they will appreciate the gifts we have selected for them?"

"I should hope so." Kyo said. "For two people who have been granted another chance at life, they're very depressing. Although I did feel hopeful earlier when we were at the training grounds. For a moment there I thought they had connected, though I could be wrong."

"You forget, back then, fighting was all they knew. You were only measured in worth by your strength. Battle is something they know much about and is how they communicate." She pointed out, actually smiling somewhat.

"True. It would explain why they argue so much. I just wish they'd find something else they had in common. A part of me is beginning to think the prophecy will never come true." He sighed, placing his hand on his wife's.

She nodded. "But fate has a funny way of working itself out."

* * *

><p>Akito stood in front of the two large double doors that led to the ballroom and glared at them. He had been given some formal clothes that he had reluctantly donned after bathing, and was now prolonging his entrance into the large room. He was wearing a pair of tanned breeches and dark brown boots. His formal tunic was white and trimmed with gold, his pendant clearly seen at the opening at the collar. Around his waist he wore a nice belt with his sword attached to it, since he never went anywhere without his weapon.<p>

Hearing a noise behind him, he turned to see Natsumi coming down the hall, going wide eyed at what she was wearing. She had on a long red dress that hugged her curves nicely, with no sleeves, and buttoning around her neck. There was a diamond shaped hole in the front, revealing a bit of cleavage. The cloth around the hole and her neck was embroidered with gold string, and the hem of the dress had decorative beads hanging off of it, and white cloth underneath it, hiding her feet. Her hair was held back with a gold clip, all except her bangs, which were framing her face. She had some gold-like powder on her eyelids, making her eyes pop more than usual. She stopped next to Akito and gave him a tentative smile.

"You look absolutely breathtaking." He said before he could come up with anything else. Then he mentally slapped himself for sounding like a complete idiot.

She blinked, looking a bit embarrassed from his compliment. "Um, thanks." She said, blushing. "So…why are you standing out here by yourself?"

He sighed. "I'm avoiding going in." he admitted.

She laughed and went towards the door, pushing it open slightly. "Oh, is the big, bad Akito afraid of a little formal function?" she teased, walking in and waving as Kyo introduced her to the massive crowd.

He frowned and followed her, ignoring everyone as they clapped for him when he was announced. He stood next to her while Kyo gave his speech, and leaned sideways to whisper in her ear. "I am not afraid of them, I just don't like them." He clarified, straightening and looking out at the crowd.

"Sure you're not. Your discomfort is written all over your face." She snickered, glancing at him. "Discomfort is an opening that can be taken advantage of."

"So? Are you going to take advantage of it then?" he asked, raising a brow and looking down at her. Before she could respond, they heard Kyo say,

"And now we will begin the festivities with a dance that the Gods are going to perform for us." Both froze and looked at the blonde.

"What?" they asked in unison. He turned to them, a smile o his face.

"You two are going to dance for everyone. Now come on, don't keep everyone waiting. It's rude." He walked behind them and shoved them out onto the floor. Akito held his hand out for Natsumi to take, deciding to go along with it.

"Um, I don't think…" Natsumi trailed off, turning a dark red from all the attention being focused on her. Akito sighed and took her hand anyways, pulling her against him and beginning to lead her as the music began. She stumbled a bit at first, since she was caught off guard, but finally tightened her grip and started to move along with him.

"You think too much sometimes." He said, looking down at her.

She huffed. "There's no such thing as thinking too much."

"Yes there is." He smirked. "Just as there's such a thing as not thinking at all." He twirled her then before bringing her back to him.

"Something you seem to do a lot." She countered, giving him a haughty look. He frowned slightly.

"Do you always have to take everything I say and try to make an argument about it?" he asked.

She nodded. "Yup."

This made him sigh, and he continued to lead her in their dance. "You vex me." He stated.

"Well I am the moon after all. I like to push and pull." She snickered, moving closer to him, almost enjoying the contact.

He raised a brow and pulled her closer to his body. "And I like to heat things up, but you don't see me doing it all the time." He murmured in her ear before straightening.

The music finally died and, reluctantly, they both pulled away from one another. Everyone applauded and then Kyo came forward, clapping as well. "Very, very nice." Satomi joined him, dressed very beautifully in a floor length black dress, pinning up on her right hip to give it some wave.

"Yes. Very wonderful." She complimented and then focused on Akito. "So would you like your gift now?"

"I suppose." He said, looking unenthused. "After I get it, do I have to stay here any longer?" he asked, a hint of hope in his voice.

She shook her head, "Not if you do not wish to." She snapped her fingers and about a dozen extremely beautiful women came out, all a bit underdressed. "We have had a harem specially picked out for both of you, since you claim you do not wish to bed with one another."

Akito's eyes widened and he looked at all of the women. "All right! Now this is what I'm talking about!" he clapped his hands together, trying to figure out which one he wanted.

Natsumi rolled her eyes and walked away from him towards the food. "Pig."

Satomi and Kyo looked pleased, actually glad the sun god had approved of what they had bestowed upon him. He rolled his eyes at her and then asked, "Wait, where is the harem for Natsumi? You said that we both got one, and as far as I know she isn't into women."

"Well we picked some of the finest," Satomi gestured to the males on the other side of the room, who had been there the whole time. "But she and you may choose from any woman or man you see fit. After all, we are all one tribe now."

"Yeah, no thanks." Natsumi said, sounding annoyed as she picked up a goblet filled with wine and sipped at the tart flavor.

"What, too much of a prude to enjoy the pleasure another body can give you?" Akito asked, giving her a taunting look. At the look she gave him his eyes widened. "You're a virgin, aren't you?" When her face darkened, he pointed at her. "You are!"

Her face turned a dark shade of red. "So what!" she snapped back, avoiding his gaze then.

He gave her a puzzled look. "Why have you waited so long? Are you afraid to sleep with someone or something?"

"No I'm not afraid." She glared, turning an even darker red from the fact they were having this conversation in the middle of a party. "I've been saving myself so that it will be special."

"Were you saving yourself for anyone in particular?" he asked, seeming a bit skeptical. "Cause' I think your plan backfired now that everyone you know is dead except for me." He said.

Her eyes widened slightly and she stormed up to him, focusing her anger on him. "Shut up! Just because I actually have the decency to save myself unlike _you_ and your floozies." She huffed, only becoming more upset. "It's not like I'm telling you how to live your life so don't make fun of mine. Go ahead and bed those girls, I don't care!"

"Fine." He said, pointing at the girl with the largest breasts. "I want that one first." He declared.

Her eyes widened slightly and she tore her gaze from his, storming over towards the men they had picked out. She had to admit, they were all _very_ good looking. She stopped before a dark haired brunette and took his wrist. "You will show me the pleasure of the bedroom then." She told him and he looked all too happy to be the one chosen for the task. After all, the goddess was almost otherworldly beautiful.

Akito gave her an astonished look. "What? You're going to bed some stranger after everything you just preached?" he asked, seeming upset by the idea.

She looked back at him, trying to look confident, though she wasn't at all. She had no idea why she was doing what she was. "As you said, everyone I know is dead. So why bother anymore? I'm taking your advice, you should feel proud."

"Hn." He didn't look proud at all actually, he looked far from it. But rather than stay there and continue to argue with her, he walked over to the woman he had chosen and picked her up bridal style. "Do not disturb us." He said, walking out of the room with her in his arms. She looked over Akito's shoulder at Natsumi and smirked just before they disappeared through the doors.

The young girl's jaw dropped and she took the man by the wrist, dragging him with her as she took her leave. Satomi just looked at Kyo and groaned, "Well that sure didn't go as I hoped."

"Yeah. I don't think we successfully factored in their stubbornness." He said, signaling for everyone to continue the festivities.

She sighed, "Well let's just enjoy the evening and hope they don't kill each other." He nodded and led her off to join in with the conversation.

* * *

><p>Natsumi had her ear pressed against the adjoining wall between hers and Akito's room. She couldn't believe he had just picked some harlot over her. She leaned closer, if possible, and tried to hear what was going on in the room. There were odd noises, but she didn't believe they were already indulging themselves in intercourse. She didn't even want to imagine what they could possibly be doing, since all she could hear was a satisfied groan from Akito every so often.<p>

"Are we even going to do anything?" the man sitting on her bed asked, looking over at her.

"Shh!" she hushed him, holding her hand out and giving him a silencing gesture. "I can't hear with you talking."

He frowned at her. Originally he had thought that they would be having sex and he would get to take her virginity, but it wasn't looking that way. Now all of his friends would laugh at him when they found out the goddess had used him for her own means, and not in the way he had wanted. Deciding to take matters into his own hands, he stood and walked over to her. Grabbing her upper arm, he jerked her away from the wall and then slammed her against it, pressing his aroused body against hers so that she couldn't move. "I came in here for one thing and one thing only and I'm going to get it." he said lowly, reaching down and grasping the material of her dress, beginning to lift it.

Her eyes widened in horror and cold fear washed over her body, which was something she was not used to feeling. She'd never been forced upon before and normally, she was strong, but she couldn't help but feel weak against him. "Please stop…" she muttered, trying to force his hand down with her arctic grip.

He reached up and slapped her, tossing her to the floor. He was over her in an instant, gripping both of her wrists harshly in his hand, holding them above her head. He completely lifted up the skirt of her dress to reveal her legs and underwear, and then reached up and grabbed the hole where her cleavage was showing and ripped it down, revealing her chest. He roughly grasped one of the mounds and began to kiss her neck, biting her every so often.

She cried out loudly, allowing the fear built tears to stream down her cheeks. "Get off!" she screamed, trying to kick him off.

In the room next to her, Akito's eyes widened as he felt something terribly wrong. "Oh my God." He said, somewhat breathlessly. The woman on top of him stopped her task in rubbing his manhood through his pants and looked up at him.

"Is it really that good?" she asked.

He sat up. "No, now get off." He said, shoving her to the side and running out of his room, despite the fact that his pants were mostly undone and he wasn't wearing a shirt. He burst into Natsumi's room and went wide eyed at the sight before him. She was pinned to the floor beneath the man she had chosen, tears streaming down her cheeks as he took out his member and began to position himself. He looked up at Akito and glared.

"Get out." He ordered. "We're busy."

"Like hell." He stormed over to the man and ripped him off of her, punching him across the face and sending him flying. Before the man could recover he picked him up by his collar and slammed him against the wall. "Don't you know to treat a woman respectfully and see to her needs before your own?" he asked, his hands setting fire. The flames travelled until they engulfed the man, causing him to scream out in agony. "Now you will be scarred for life, so that no woman will ever want you." He released him then, and the man ran screaming from the room.

In an instant, Akito was by Natsumi's side, grabbing her comforter to cover her with as he lifted her into his lap and on the bed. "Natsumi, are you alright? Did he hurt you?" he asked, looking into her face with concern. She sobbed into his chest, unable to answer him with words, but he didn't need them to know she was far from alright.

He pulled her closer to him and heated his body temperature as he rubbed her arm in an attempt to calm her. "It's okay, I'm here now, I'll protect you." He murmured. "I should have killed him." he said a bit more harshly.

She tried to ease her crying, but only managed to stop her sobbing. "This is all…" she broke out once more, wiping at her eyes. "Your fault you idiot." She gripped onto him, needing the warmth he emitted.

"I'm sorry." He said, sounding sincere as he continued to rub her back and arm with both of his hands.

"You're so stupid." She growled out, needing to find something, anything, to focus her left over fear on. "She's not even that pretty." She grumbled, burying her face in the covers.

He smiled slightly, holding in a chuckle. "True, she doesn't amount to your beauty." He said, beginning to run his fingers through her hair. "But, like you said earlier, I do not always think, whereas you think too much."

"How did I think too much?" she huffed, looking up at him with a weak glare. "I didn't think at all!"

He looked down at her. "Hm." was all he said as he reached up to brush away the residue left by her tears with his thumb. "I wasn't really talking about in that moment, but never mind." He cupped her face in his hands then. "You scared me." He said softly, resting his forehead against hers. "While in my room, I felt…something terrible, and I instantly knew there was something wrong with you, but I didn't know what."

She shied away a bit, not used to this kind of contact from anyone, especially him. She had always been tense around him, feeling that at any moment he would try and kill her. But now, she couldn't feel safer, or more comforted. "Before you came, all I could feel was fear and I thought of you…I'm not exactly sure why. But…" she blushed, burying her face in the comforter once more, mumbling into the soft folds. "I felt like I needed you."

He sighed, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and holding her against his chest once more. "Maybe you called to me or something." He said. "It's like…we're connected, the way the sun and the moon are."

"You didn't already know that?" she grumbled, turning her head a bit, resting her cheek on her knees and staring out the window. "The fact that we cannot die. When we're together there's something inside that seems to resonate in odd ways, even now." she sighed. "And so once again the sun gives his strength to the moon."

"I will always give you my strength when you need it." he promised. It couldn't hurt, since they were no longer enemies. "Will you be okay tonight? Or do you want to stay with me in my room? I promise I will not try anything, sexual or otherwise." He looked down at her.

"You cannot stay in here with me?" she asked, looking up at him and searching his deep gaze.

"If that is what you wish I will." He said. "I just wasn't sure if you would want to stay in here or not."

Natsumi shook her head, "No. I think I will be fine in here…I just don't want to be alone…" she told him and then looked around the room. She moved from his lap, getting up and dragging the comforter with her. "Just let me change since this dress was ruined." She walked over to the wardrobe and opened it up, glancing back at him.

Taking a fortifying breath, she stripped down and let the dress fall around her ankles, leaving her bare before him. His eyes widened and his breath caught. He knew in that moment it would be proper to look away, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. She was just so beautiful.

Finally though, he felt himself able to pull his eyes from her smooth back and her bare bottom that looked perfectly plump. Natsumi took out one of the nighties she had been given and pulled on the white, sheer cheekies. She reached for the top and hesitated. She would be sleeping with a man for the first time. A man who had been her enemy all her life, up until a few days ago. A man she found extremely attractive and felt something strongly for. She just couldn't tell what yet. But she knew she needed to look beautiful, especially if she wanted to keep him in her bed instead of going back to his whore of the evening. She put on the top, which was a white bra, with silver rhinestones on the breasts to make stars and tied together in the front with a thick, silky ribbon. A sheer, white fabric cascaded around her torso to her hips, just covering the underwear.

Natsumi picked up the comforter and walk back to him, surprised to see he was actually looking away. She offered him the eiderdown and took another deep breath. "I'm ready for bed."

He looked back at her and took in her appearance, looking appreciatively at her curves, but not lingering too long. "Alright." He stood and took off his pants, left in only his black underwear, since he wanted to be comfortable. Then he took the comforter from her and spread it evenly over the bed before pulling it back so that they could get in. "Ladies first." He said, gesturing to the bed. He would never admit it aloud, but he actually felt nervous, even though he was doing this without any ulterior motives at all.

She glanced over to the door and made sure it was shut, before crawling onto the massive bed and sitting on the side she normally slept on. He got in next to her, blowing out the candles before lying down on his back and getting comfortable. She looked down at him, hovering over him slightly. "Are you upset that you didn't get to have sex this night?"

He searched her beautiful eyes before answering. "Not entirely." He said. "I feel…glad that I could come to your aid. And the knowledge that I can share a bed with you, even if it is only for the night, outweighs the fact that I didn't get to sleep with some half rate whore." He said softly.

She smiled, actually looking happy for the first time since their awakening. She leaned down and cupped his face tenderly with her hand before kissing his cheek appreciatively. "Thank you," she whispered before snuggling down into the covers.

"You're welcome." He said, shutting his eyes. It was odd, this strange sense of contentment he was feeling, but he liked it. "Goodnight Natsumi."

"Goodnight…Akito." She breathed out, relaxing fully as she closed her eyes and drifted off into the warmth she felt in her core.


	6. Dream of the Past

**Polarity**

_Chapter Six_

-Dreams of the Past-

_Natsumi looked around at the trees in awe of the awesome forest she had not seen yet in her seven years. "Daddy! Daddy! Look!" the young girl pointed into the trees at a brilliant yellow bird. The elder redhead looked down to the top of his daughter's head, who was sitting in his lap upon the magnificent steed. He had his arm around her waist to steady her as they continued on their path towards the unfinished temple that was left in the woods. Sakura was behind them, with the young Toshiro beside her, holding onto the reigns tightly so that he wouldn't fall off. _

_Four others surrounded the royal family for security, since they were going to meet the elders and royals of their enemies, the Taiyou. _

_Finally, the trees began to thin and the massive, half finished temple came into view. The sun was just beginning its descent in the west and the sky was still blue only slightly dimming to orange. There, in front of temple was a group of people, with a young boy of about eight. _

_They stopped their horses and got off, Gaara helping his young daughter from the high horse. They walked forward then, Natsumi looking around excitedly, holding her father's hand tightly. She had been told that she was coming to make a new friend that she'd never gotten to see before, and that this was very important. _

"_Where's my new friend Daddy?" she asked, looking up at her father, who appeared strained. _

_Just then the leader of the Taiyou dismounted his horse, along with the young boy next to him. Both had serious expressions on, though the younger appeared more curious than anything. They stopped before the other two, and there was an odd silence between them._

"_Lord Gaara." The ebony haired man greeted in his deep voice._

_He bowed his head slightly, though it seemed strained. "Lord Sasuke."_

_Natsumi looked up at her father and then the older man and waved at him happily. "Hello!" she smiled. _

_He looked down at her, and his gaze appeared to have softened somewhat. Suddenly he remembered what they were there for, and pushed the young boy next to him forward. He glanced at his sire a bit resentfully, until his dark green eyes looked back to the girl in front of him. He looked almost exactly like the elder Uchiha, though his bangs were different, falling more over his forehead than revealing it. "My name is Uchiha Akito." He said, bowing to the pink haired girl in a well-trained manner._

_Natsumi tore her beautiful jade gaze from the elder and saw the boy before her, her whole face seeming to brighten with excitement and her smile grow. She ran forward and attacked him with a hug and laughed happily. "Hi Akito! My name is Natsumi!"_

_His eyes widened at her sudden embrace, and he stood there a bit stiffly, unused to the contact. He looked up at his father questioningly, and when the older man motioned with his head, Akito slowly and somewhat awkwardly hugged her in return. "It's nice to meet you." He said softly._

"_It's nice to meet you too," she smiled happily, snuggling into his awkward embrace, though she didn't seem to notice the hesitation. "My mommy says we're destined to be with one another. So when we get older we can get married and live happily ever after! Because I'm a princess and you're a prince, and in my stories the princess always gets to live happily ever after with her prince. And she says you're special like me!"_

_He blinked and then looked back up at his father. "But, you said-"_

"_Akito." Sasuke cut him off, giving him a stern look. The boy frowned and looked away. _

_Natsumi looked up at the boy, tears swelling in her now glossy eyes as she released her hold on him. "You don't want to marry me?" she asked, appearing like a poor little wounded animal caught in a trap._

"_Uh, no! It's not that!" Akito said hastily, not wanting to make her cry. He tried to think of something to make it all better, since he didn't want to get in trouble later for ruining everything. "But, um, don't I have to…court you first?" he asked a bit hesitantly. "Isn't that what a prince is supposed to do?"_

_She sniffed, trying to wipe away her tears. "I don't know what that means…" she admitted shyly. _

"_It means that we have to spend lots of time together, and go to dinner on dates and stuff, and dance at parties, and then when we're older we get married." He explained. He wasn't entirely sure if it was correct, but that was what they had done in the one fairy tale book he had read._

"_But I love you now," she whined, as if it made all the sense in the world to get married now. Gaara crossed his arms and looked extremely amused by the scene, trying not to laugh aloud. _

_Akito looked at her in shock. "But we just met." Why was this girl so strange? She was unlike any other girl he had met, but he kind of liked it. It was different, and she didn't treat him as some type of prodigy. Perhaps it was because she also had a special gift like him._

"_So?" she beamed, running around him and inspecting him and his clothing, since it was slightly different than what she was used to. "Love is unconditional, which means the time is not a condition!" she laughed, seeming to be getting more and more excited the lower the sun got to the mountain range, whereas Akito seemed to become a bit more withdrawn._

"_She's very…energetic." Sasuke observed, looking up at the redhead._

_Gaara nodded. "Yes…well she's seven…and a little girl who thinks she's going to get married in the next couple of days." He shrugged, not seeming to mind, since he was used to his daughter's excited behavior. She just thought everything was the greatest event to happen to her. Natsumi ran back over to Sasuke and looked up at him. _

"_I like you!" she pat his leg and ran back over to Akito, reaching up on her tip toes to touch the top of his head. "And I like you. I want to marry you and make you smile all the time! Because you seem sad." She took his hand and pulled Akito with her up the steps to the open archway of the temple. "And when we get married, we can fix this! And live together forever!"_

_Akito followed after her, becoming more confused the longer he spent with her. "You mean, like in the fairytales?" he asked a bit hopefully._

"_Of course." She smiled, "We'll love each other forever and ever and live happily ever after just like the story of the sun and the moon. Forever intertwined with the fate of the other. So the sun gives his life and love for his moon. So the moon watches over him and the land while he rests."_

_He smiled. "That sounds really nice." He said. This day was turning out to be better than he'd thought. When he had first met her he didn't think he would like her that much, but now that he knew he would never be alone, and she would be with him forever, he was kind of happy. _

_She clapped her hands together happily and moved closer to him. "Then we must seal our fate!"_

"_How?" he blinked, cocking his head to the side._

"_Well when two people love each other and want to be together, they kiss. And if I kiss you and you kiss me, we will have kissed no one else our whole lives, and it will be forever true that you and I will never fail." She explained as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. _

_His eyes widened and he visibly gulped. "Kiss?" he asked softly, appearing to become nervous._

"_Yeah! It's easy, if you want I can kiss you first and show you." She said helpfully, looking nothing but endearing. Without waiting for his approval, she placed her small hands on his arms and got up on her tip toes, pressing her soft lips against his. Shocked, Akito's hands lit on fire. He felt a warm feeling in the pit of his stomach, and as his happiness grew, the flames quickly traveled up his arms, until they reached where Natsumi was touching him._

_Both Gaara and Sakura went wide eyed, watching as it slowly happened. There was a loud and shrill pained cry, and Natsumi wrenched away from him, trembling as she looked to her badly burned hands, with tears streaming down her cheeks. Akito's eyes widened and the flames instantly disappeared in the sudden remorse he felt. Sasuke, who had also been watching, scowled at his son._

_Before Akito could do anything in attempts to consol her, she was swept up by her father, who had nothing but disdain in his hard and hate filled gaze. "What have you done?" he yelled making Natsumi cry louder. _

"_I-I didn't mean to!" Akito said, pure horror on his face. Sasuke walked over there and stopped next to him._

"_I will deal with you later." He said to the boy before looking back at the redhead. "Clearly it is your child's fault. If she knew how to properly respect people's boundaries and had some self restraint, this would not have happened."_

_Gaara's glare focused on the elder and his gaze narrowed. "Excuse me?" he snapped, holding Natsumi out to Sakura, who had come beside him to take her crying daughter. "You have the gall to say that after your son just burned my daughter?" he yelled, standing between the Taiyou and his family. The young redheaded boy peeked around his mother's leg at the other, studying his face and the regret that was there._

_Natsumi sniffed, trying to calm down and looked over at her father and then Akito. She frowned, but it was not at him, she was sad that he looked so distraught. "Mommy, Akito is sad." She said, glancing up into her mother's emerald gaze. _

_Sakura looked at the young boy and then to her daughter. "That is because he is sorry honey." She said, carefully holding her youngest's hands to examine her wounds._

"_It was just an act of self defense." Sasuke said. "After being enemies for so long, is your child really so naïve to just think we could suddenly become friends? Clearly, they are not being taught properly." _

_Before anything else could be said, Gaara slugged Sasuke right in the jaw, causing him to stumble back from the blow. "You do not disrespect my daughter. Unlike you and your son," he seethed. "She attempted to make peace and let old hatred go. The next time we meet will be on the battlefield, and I will kill you for this indiscretion."_

_He turned around and walked back to his wife and daughter, taking the young girl from her arms. "Let us leave." He ordered. Natsumi peered over her father's shoulder and reached out for Akito, looking worried, though he could see her hand was already almost fully healed. Gaara placed Natsumi up on his horse and got on as Sakura helped Toshiro onto his and then got on her own. _

_Sasuke just grabbed Akito's hand forcefully and yanked him in the direction of their own horses. He mounted his, and with one last hated look exchanged between the two leaders, the Taiyou rode off towards their village, with Akito looking back at Natsumi until they disappeared through the foliage._

_Gaara took off, followed by the others that were with him. Natsumi looked back and then up at her father. "Daddy. It was an accident, I think." She tried to tell him. _

"_No my sweet one." He told her, stroking her hair in an attempt to comfort her still frightened form. "Taiyou can never be trusted. Who knows what they might have tried to further. But I promise, I will always protect you from that boy. I will train you and you will be able to get revenge for what he did to you."_

"_But I don't-" she began._

"_Do not buy into their lies. This was nothing more than a means to gain the upper hand." He told her. She looked forward, frowning. She didn't think Akito had meant to hurt her, but why would her father tell her something that was untrue? She closed her eyes and let the sadness overtake her. She had felt something so powerful inside her react when she saw him, but maybe it was just a warning. _

* * *

><p>Natsumi's eyes flashed open and she found herself staring at the marble wall of the palace room she was still not used to. She frowned, the remnants from her dream still plaguing her thoughts. She had dreamed about the first time she met Akito. But why? She hadn't dreamt of that incident in many, many years. Literally. That was when she realized that she was warm and was pressed against something.<p>

She lifted the covers up a bit and saw strong arms wrapped protectively around her waist. She turned her head slightly and caught a glimpse of the man behind her, holding her to him so tenderly. Her eyes widened and she faced forward once more, finally remembering what had transpired the night before. Akito had slept with her.

She couldn't help but smile. She liked the warmth she felt, and the sense of security that enveloped her from his touch. She snuggled back into his warmth and then froze, feeling something extremely hard pressed into her rear. A huge blush spread across her cheeks and, needing to assure for herself, she lowered her hand and felt between her legs, grasping the hard member that was pressed against her. Akito's body stiffened and his eyes snapped open then. "What are you doing?" he asked, keeping her in his hold.

Natsumi jerked her hand away quickly and tried to move from him but his arms didn't move. Her blush darkened, making her look like a cherry. "I…I'm sorry…" she shivered, only able to focus on his hard erection that was pressed against her. "I, uh," she shivered once more. "I don't understand why you are…" she turned even redder.

Understanding her meaning, he chuckled and rose on his hands so that he was looking down at her. "It's morning." He said simply, smiling slightly.

"But it's so…." She breathed out, trying to ease her pounding heart. "Hard."

His smile widened. "Yes well, why wouldn't it be, when I have an incredibly beautiful woman in my arms?" he asked. He didn't know why he felt so lighthearted. Perhaps it was because the sun was very bright today, but part of him suspected it was because that had been the first time he had ever spent the night with a woman and not done anything physical, and had actually stayed the entire night.

"I had a dream last night." She said, trying to free her mind from the intrusive thoughts that were invading.

"Oh?" he blinked.

"It was about you."

He tilted his head to the side. "What was it about?"

She looked off, unable to meet his gaze. "The first time I ever met you."

His light demeanor faded somewhat. "You mean the day I hurt you." He said, rolling off of her and sitting up in the bed.

"Yes…" she frowned, turning on her side and facing away from him. "I hadn't dreamt of it in a long time…"

"I used to dream of it all the time." He said softly. "Sometimes it would be a good dream, stopping before I burned you, and other times it would be a nightmare, repeating your scream of pain over and over again."

They both remained silent after that, neither really knowing what to say. "It was an accident…wasn't it?"

"Yes." He told her. "I couldn't really control my powers then, and, when you kissed me…I was really happy, and it just kind of…happened." He frowned. "My father punished me severely for what I did. If I didn't heal so well, I'd probably have multiple scars on my back."

She closed her eyes and tried to focus on the memory. "I never thought it was on purpose…" she said softly.

"I always hoped that you didn't, but after some of our exchanges I believed that you did, and that you hated me for it. So I tried to teach myself not to feel, that way I wouldn't feel so empty."

"My father told me it was in attempt of getting the upper hand. Since it was before we knew I couldn't die and that I healed quickly and flawlessly. I suppose…that I was told it was on purpose for so long…and it was my father…it was hard to know what to believe." She frowned, gripping the sheets tightly.

"Well, nobody's perfect." Akito said. "I'm a clear example of that." He wiped his face somewhat wearily. Natsumi moved and sat up in the bed, getting up and walking over to the opening near the window that led out to the balcony so she could look out at the ocean. He followed her with his eyes, liking how beautiful the morning sun made her look, especially in the outfit she was wearing.

He stood and walked to the balcony as well, stopping next to her. Closing his eyes, he raised his face to the sky and took a deep breath, soaking in the sun's rays. Exhaling, he looked over at her. "I'm sorry, for burning you. I never really did get the chance to apologize for that, though I guess it doesn't matter now, after everything else I've done to you."

"You never burned me again." She said softly, glancing back at him and meeting his gaze. "Out of all the time's you've killed me, it's not once been with fire."

"I was always afraid of using my fire against you in that way since then. Every time I did use it, it was only to counter your ice or distract you so that I could use my sword. I didn't want to hurt you like that again." He admitted, reaching forward and brushing some of her bangs out of her face. "I wouldn't have been able to bear hearing you cry out like that again." He looked away from her, the amount of things he was telling her making him feel slightly uncomfortable, since he had never told another soul about it before.

She smiled sadly, since it was hurting her that he could not stand to look at her for more than a moment. "The sun should not be so prideful, especially since he is so gracious as to lend his light to the moon."

He looked back at her, a deep emotion in his dark eyes. "The sun is supposed to be strong for the moon. How can the moon receive the strength it needs if the sun is weak?" he asked, sounding conflicted. He had been taught his entire life never to show emotion, nor feel it. And yet with Natsumi he always did, and she never faulted him for it the way his sire did. He just didn't know what to believe anymore.

"By showing nothing…you only bring pain to yourself and everyone around you." She frowned and looked forward, taking a deep breath. "And enduring pain…does not make you stronger. It only leaves you alone."

He smiled slightly and looked back out at the ocean. "The moon always was the wiser of the two."

"Of course," she smirked, squaring her shoulders. "While the sun burns brightly only for himself, the moon illuminates the night for all those around her. So they are comforted and not afraid."

"Yes, but she wouldn't be able to do so without the sun's aid." Akito smirked, looking down at her. "Though, if he did not lend his light, he in turn would not be comforted."

Natsumi smirked and faced him fully. "And so the sun has wisdom of his own." She snickered, patting his face tenderly and walking back into the bedroom. She lifted her hand and pulled on the silky ribbon, letting the top of her sleepwear fall to the floor behind her. "I'm off to the bath. Would you mind heating it for me?" she called over her shoulder, disappearing into the adjoining room.

He sighed and followed her through the bedroom and into her bathroom. "You're a cruel woman, you know that?" he asked, shooting flames into the water-filled tub as he watched her.

"I'm not cruel." She smirked, hooking her thumbs into her underwear and sliding them down. "But you shouldn't waste water. You should join me." She said, stepping into the hot bath and letting out a content sigh. "It's very nice."

"I don't know if that's such a good idea." He said, giving her a doubtful look, though his body was already responding to the idea.

She leaned against the edge of the bath, lifting her leg from the water and taking hold of the sponge from the edge, running it along her smooth skin. "Being wasteful is a bad idea." She said simply, glancing up at him. "Sharing a bath is a _very_ good idea."

He sighed, unable to resist her charms. So, he took off the remainder of his clothing, revealing himself to her. "Very well." He said, stepping into the tub and sitting down in the warm water. She was a dark red, not having been able to prepare herself for the sight of _all_ of him. But she moved towards him, boldly, and stopped in front of him.

"You should allow me to get your back for you." He looked at her in slight suspicion, but turned, presenting the broad expanse of his back to her. She smiled, tracing her fingers along the hardened muscles in his shoulders, beginning to rub the sponge down his back and along the slope of his curves. He was so well toned and defined, she found it hard to hold onto what innocence she had.

Something he, nor anyone, had never known, was that he tempted her in ways she'd never been tempted before with anyone else. She'd had men come onto her and fawn over her and offer her things. They would gently caress her cheek or her arm in hopes she would find favor with them, but nothing ever felt as good as when his body was against hers in battle, and especially now. "Here," she breathed out, leaning forward and pressing her front against his back, relishing in the feel of his hard body as she began to wash his front.

Akito closed his eyes, enjoying her touch. "You tempt me in ways no woman ever has." He said, exhaling slowly to better control his body's reactions to her.

"Explain." She whispered into his ear, letting her hands run down his front and lower into the water. "I'm not well educated in what you speak of." She smirked, using the soft sponge to rub against his hardened member. His jaw clenched as he held in a moan.

"I think you know enough." He said. "Besides, I believe that you take great pleasure in bringing me to my knees before you. Figuratively speaking of course."

She laughed and pulled away from him, submerging herself in the water and cleaning her hair out. She came back up and stood, the water lapping now from her movements. She walked over to him, pressing her knees against his back and leaning over him to see his face. "Not just figuratively speaking." She corrected, pressing her pelvis against the back of his head before getting out of the bath and wrapping the last clean towel around her body.

He chuckled and stood, getting out of the tub. "Either way, you enjoy it." he said, picking up his underwear. "Now if you don't mind, I am going to go dress for breakfast." He told her, walking into the bedroom and grabbing his pants before leaving and walking to his own room, not caring that he was naked. It was right next door after all.

Natsumi watched him, biting down on her lower lip as she watched his toned behind excitedly. She knew that if she ever wanted to make love with someone, he was the perfect specimen. She could just imagine his hard body against hers, moving fluidly atop her smooth and naked form. She pressed her hand against her pelvis and wondered what it felt like to have something like that inside you. Without letting herself daydream for too much longer she dressed in the normal attire she'd been presented and headed out towards the dining area.

When she entered Akito was already in his seat, his hair still wet and freshly dressed in his new clothes. He looked at her, mischief evident in his eyes before returning his attention to his meal. She rolled her eyes, trying to play off her embarrassment. She honestly couldn't believe she had actually done what she had this morning. She mentally cursed. How she loathed being in her teens still. She felt so hormonal.

She moved beside him and sat down, squaring her shoulders and allowing him a nice view of her cleavage. She didn't care if it made her seem slutty. Last night had unleashed something inside her and she wanted him only to look at her with lust and no one else. She plucked a pear from the fruit bowl and bit into it, savoring the juicy flavor.

Kyo raised a brow at the gods, somewhat intrigued. Usually by now one of them had said or done something to upset the other, but it seemed that something had happened to change that. "So, how did the two of you sleep last night?" he asked, looking at them.

Akito looked over at the king. "Very pleasantly. It feels like ages since I've slept that well."

"Did you now? I'm glad to hear so." Satomi said, focusing on her own meal. "Was there anything particular? Did you like the woman that well?" she laughed.

Before Akito could answer, a tall brunette walked in with a wide smile on his face. "Oh your majesty, the only reason our beloved sun god slept so well was because he was in bed with his lovely consort." Akito frowned at the man.

"Who the hell are you, and how do you know that?" he asked. He hated it when people dug into his personal business, especially those he didn't know. Plus, it was impossible for him to know such a thing unless he spied on them last night, and that he just wouldn't stand.

"Oh forgive me." He smiled, not looking threatened at all. He walked up to the table and bowed to Akito. "My name is Haru. It's a pleasure to meet you Lord Akito. Lady Natsumi."

Natsumi blinked and looked from Haru to Akito. "Um, how do you know we slept together?"

He laughed. "Because I know everything, it's my job to be in the know. As I also am aware that you permanently damaged one of the best soldiers we have. Though, he rightfully deserved it."

"Some soldier." Akito snorted, crossing his arms. "Didn't even know basic self-defense. Not that it would have helped him any, but it would have made him look like less of a pansy."

Haru just smiled, "Well I assure you. He was the best we have."

Akito looked to Kyo. "I would like to start training the men today if that is okay. Clearly there is a lot they need to learn, and if you're so hell-bent on defeating this Orochimaru guy they'll need all the help they can get."

"That would be wonderful. I will have the men gather at the training field in one hour." The king smiled, pleased.

Natsumi looked to Akito and sighed, focusing her gaze out the window before he could see her disappointed expression. Haru watched her for a bit before sitting across from Akito. "I would like to be present for this training, though I will not need any."

"Fine with me, so long as you don't get in the way or distract anyone." The ebony haired man said, returning to his breakfast. The rest of breakfast went by smoothly, conversation sparse, but it was still nice. Finally, Akito stood as did Haru and dismissed himself from the table with the brunette following after him.

Natsumi got up as well and thanked the king and queen for the meal. She had decided that she wanted to go back to the temple she had awoken in and look around more than she had gotten to the first time. Satomi looked to Kyo and actually smiled. "Things are most certainly looking up."

He smiled back at her. "Yes, I am very pleased to hear that they spent the night with each other. If things continue to progress this well over the next few days, we may be ready to take on Orochimaru by the end of the month." He placed his hand on her stomach then. "And our child will get to live in a free world."

She nodded and rested her hand over his. "Yes. Free and happy."


	7. Quality Time

**Polarity**

_Chapter Seven_

-Quality Time-

"No, run the drill again." Akito ordered, rubbing the bridge of his nose. He had been training Kyo's soldiers for the past three days now, and they had been some of the most trying days of his life.

It wasn't that the men sucked, because they did have _some_ talent. It was just that they took too long to learn the drills, and were too focused on everything they thought they could do. And the most annoying part of it all was that because they spent all day training, he barely got to see Natsumi. Not that he wanted to see her or anything, it just felt weird, since he had been around her so much upon re-awakening.

He frowned and walked forward. "No!" he shouted, stopping the spar between two of the soldiers. Everyone else stopped to observe what he was going to do, since they liked to watch other people get chewed out instead of it being themselves.

"You have to hold your sword more fiercely." He told one of the men, taking out his weapon and demonstrating. "Otherwise it will be easily knocked out of your hand in battle. And you," he turned to the man's opponent. "Quite second guessing yourself. You have to feel the movements, not think about them. That will only get you killed." Both men nodded, glad for the advice.

"Now start over." He said, clasping his hands behind his back and walking off the field to observe once more. He could see improvement in some of the men already, and noted those who would need special attention. He sighed, wishing that he had been able to get here to help these men sooner.

One of the worst parts about it was that a lot of the soldiers were older than him, technically, and didn't appreciate being told what to do by someone so young. But, he had easily proven his worth when he had disarmed a group of ten men in less than a minute and a half, without using his gift or his weapon, so the complaints stopped there. Now all he had to do was make sure these men would last more than ten minutes in battle. He was actually surprised they had lasted as long as they had.

"You're a pretty fierce leader." Haru commented from his place on one of the nearby tree branches.

Akito smirked slightly and looked at the brunette, who had actually become like a friend to him over the past two days. "In a good way, or a bad way?"

"Isn't that for you to decide?" he retorted, tossing a grape up in the air and catching it in his mouth. "Oh by the way, your lady is becoming irritable."

"She's not my lady." He grumbled slightly. "And what do you mean by irritable? She seems fine to me, for the most part anyways."

Haru rolled his eyes. "You stare at her behind and her breasts at least five times a day. You wait for her for every meal. And you've been considering asking her to join you for dinner alone without everyone else for the past day and a half. She's your lady." He pointed out and then sighed, sitting up from his lounging position. "And why do you think? You are the only person she has any roots with and you're always out here with sweaty men."

He frowned and crossed his arms, hating how his friend knew all this stuff without him ever saying it. Especially the dinner thing. "Well she knows where to find me, if she wants to see me she can always come out here. It's not like I'll tell her to leave."

"God, sometimes I can't believe how stupid you are." Haru shook his head and jumped down from the tree, landing gracefully. "Listen here. Satomi and Kyo are going to the beach later today. I was invited and I'm bringing my lady. You should ask Natsumi if she wants to go and relax with you."

Akito blinked. "But I have to train the men." He said simply, not grasping what the brunette was trying to convey to him.

Haru hit his palm to his forehead and then slid his hand down his face. "Yeah, because hanging and yelling at a bunch of bulky, sweaty guys is _so_ much more appealing than being on the sandy beach with a goddess in slinky swimsuit, showing off her gorgeous body."

"It isn't a matter of which is more fun, it's a matter of priority. They need to be better prepared for the battle to come." He explained.

"Eh," he shrugged. "Suit yourself. I'll just go ask her to come with us, since she doesn't do anything aside from train and go out exploring. It'll be fun with us five. I'm sure some civilian who's out on the beach will keep her company if she gets bored with us." He waved over his shoulder, heading towards the archway into the armory. "See you at dinner."

At this Akito frowned, thinking of some other man touching Natsumi and making her laugh and smile. He'd kill him. Making up his mind, he turned to the men. "Stop!" he shouted, getting their attention. "I have decided that you can have the rest of the day off. You all have worked so hard lately, take this time to relax." He said, earning a bunch of cheers. Ignoring them, he ran off to find Natsumi before Haru did.

He ran back to the palace, searching outside, since he knew she liked to frequent the gardens. Not finding her there, he made his way towards the door before catching a glimpse of her out on her balcony. Smiling at his fortune, he made his way beneath it. Not wanting to shout up to her, he grabbed onto the vines clinging to the wall and began to climb up to the top.

"Hey." He greeted when he reached the top, startling the pink haired woman from her thoughts.

She looked at him oddly and then over the edge. "Where did you just come from? Did you just climb up here?" she asked, returning her curious gaze to his own.

"Yeah." He said, hoisting himself over the edge and onto the balcony with her. "But princes always do stuff like that when they want to talk to the princess." He smiled slightly, reaching out and brushing some of her hair from her face.

She laughed, appearing to enjoy the gesture a bit too much. "You're so corny."

"But you like it." he stated. "Anyways, I gave the men the afternoon off, and I was wondering if you wanted to go to the beach with me. You know…to hang out and stuff." He reached up and tugged on the ends of his hair nervously.

She arched a delicate brow and studied him for a moment. "Why?" she asked, trying to fight the smile that was creeping up her features. "I was under the impression you didn't like to have fun." She snickered, obviously trying to tease him.

"I like to have fun." He pouted, crossing his arms. "Just not very often. Besides, I want to spend some time with you."

"Ok," she smiled, searching his gaze and then looking off. "Well I guess I better go and get changed before they all leave without us." She said, getting down from the edge of the balcony and heading into her room.

"Yeah." He said, following her. "I'll meet you in the hall, I have to put on my swimsuit as well." He said, walking over to the door of her room.

Natsumi watched him leave and smiled to herself, letting out a content sigh. It was odd, the fact that he had actually taken time off from training the soldiers to do something she knew he didn't really want to do. She undressed quickly and pulled out a swimsuit she'd been given and tied it on. It was a pretty simple two piece that was white and tied around her neck. She took out a black, sheer cover up and tied it over her shoulder so that it draped over her body, revealing only one of her shoulders. She slipped on some flip flops and grabbed a towel before heading out of her room and knocking on Akito's door.

He opened it, revealing himself in his swimwear, which consisted of black swim trunks and a black shirt with some sandals, and a towel thrown over his shoulder. "Ready?" he asked, giving her a once over as he stepped into the hall and shut the door to his room.

"Mhmm." She nodded and offered her hand out to him. He took it, unconsciously intertwining their fingers as they walked to the entrance of the palace where everyone else was waiting. Satomi glanced down to their hands when they arrived and smirked, turning away from them and heading out with Kyo not too far behind.

"Well, let's go." She said.

Haru smirked and gave Akito a nod. "Oh, so Akito. This is Tomoyo." He gestured to the dark haired girl beside him. She waved and smiled at him and then at Natsumi.

"It's so nice to be able to meet the sun god and the moon goddess in person."

"A pleasure." Akito nodded as they followed the king and queen. They all headed out to the beach together. Natsumi leaned against Akito slightly and glanced up at him.

"Thanks for asking me to come with you." She smiled happily.

He smiled down at her. "You're welcome. I'm glad I could finally do something right."

The group went down to the beach, where they spent the afternoon playing in the sand and water, getting to know each other better, and actually having a great time. When the sun began to set, they headed back to the castle, all tired from their activities, and some even sporting a few bruises and sunburns, though Akito and Natsumi didn't have to worry about it too much, since they would be fine in the morning. After dining together, each returned to their rooms, having pleasant dreams.

* * *

><p>A man with long white hair rushed into the massive throne room that looked as if it belonged in the underworld. He was wearing dark purple robes with a white sash tied around his waist and his hair was pulled back into a pony tail. Oddly colored flames flickered around the dark room, all the way to the throne, where a very pale man set, his greasy black hair falling around his sullen face. "My Lord," he said, kneeling before the decrypted man.<p>

"This better be good Kabuto…" the overlord hissed out, looking down at his servant.

"Well…it's not…good per se." Kabuto began, looking a bit nervous, but not rising from his kneeling position. "We have word from the most eastern part of your kingdom."

Orochimaru's hollow eyes focused intently then on the man and he moved to sit up. "The eastern side?" he asked to clarify.

Kabuto nodded and took a deep breath. "We're not sure how…but the crystalized god and goddess of the Shuensha have awakened. They are causing quite a commotion throughout the land. Word has spread that they could possibly be more powerful than you. There's talk of a Revolution."

The lord stood, sneering. "They are. But only together are they. And what of the weapons that were frozen with them?"

"Well it would appear the goddess does carry around a scythe and the god always has his blade with him." He nodded.

Orochimaru allowed a sick smirk to creep up his grim features. "I have awaited this moment for a very long time Kabuto. There is not a doubt in my mind that those two warriors from old are the god of the sun and the goddess of the moon incarnate. They descended upon children to stop me from fulfilling my destiny."

"But sire," Kabuto began. "If they are a god and goddess, how were they captured? Are they not all powerful beings?"

The distorted king lifted his hand to silence him. "The only repercussion a god has for entering the mortal world as a human is that they lose their memory of what they were in the heavens. Those two foolish children could never bind together. Their hated runs deeper in their veins than their celestial blood can handle."

"Then what will you do?"

Orochimaru snickered and laughed darkly. "Kukuku. I am immortal Kabuto, but my body is finally decaying. I need a new vessel. And what better than the vessel of a god?"

The king walked forward and passed his servant who turned to follow him. They started down the hallways of the dark palace. "You will take one of their body's?"

"I want the boy's. But it's a bit more complex than that. See, this world relies on balance and so long as it has its balance I will be unable of inhabiting the body. The sun and the moon are forever intertwined with one another. Life and death. But ultimately, the sun is the one who gives life to the moon. But the moon is the hope of the sun. They need one another to survive." Orochimaru tried to explain.

"So…what is it that needs to be done?"

"We need to kill the moon." He stated simply.

Kabuto went wide eyed and stopped in his tracks. "Kill the moon? But will that not in turn destroy everything?"

"And?" Orochimaru snapped, glaring at the feeble man. "Once death has been eradicated, there will be nothing to hold be back from exchanging with the Taiyou prince. He only controls life and nothing more. I will have death on my side."

"But sire. How will you kill a deity? She's immortal, she does not die. Not even when struck down. You of all people know this." Kabuto countered.

The immortal waved his concern off. "I have been alive a long time Kabuto. And I have finally discovered how to kill them. The only thing in this mortal world that can kill the moon goddess is if she is run through with her own death scythe. She does not know this, nor does the sun god know he can only be killed with his own sword. If I can get the death scythe the moon goddess will be easy for the picking and with that weapon I can rip the sun god's soul from his flawless body and replace it with my own."

Kabuto nodded and bowed. "Should I ready your horse?"

"No. I will be using my ancient magic…something I haven't gotten to use in many decades." The king smirked and headed off, smoothing out his dark cloak. Finally, he would truly be immortal and possess all the powers of the heavens. He began to laugh, cackling as he disappeared into the mist of darkness.


	8. Expiry

**Polarity**

_Chapter Eight_

-Expiry-

Natsumi stood in the massive temple that was dedicated to the Sun and the Moon. She had come here several times, alone, since her awakening but was finally reading the tablet behind the statue of the crescent moon. Inscribed on the beautiful marbles was the lineage of her people and it was the same for the Taiyou people on the stone slab behind the statue of the sun. Her jade depths focused on two names at the very top. The names of her father and mother.

She felt an overwhelming sadness wash over her. She felt the tears already beginning to steam down her face and wiped them away with her sleeve. In mourning, she had found something that was similar to the type of clothing she had worn back in the days of the Shichiyou. It had a kimono like appeal, but was sleeveless. The straps tide around her neck and held her breasts up firmly. Most of the fabric was white, but the trim and the straps were a silvery grey. There was tight obi around her waist and the dress like skirt cascaded around her legs. It was short, only to her mid-thigh in the front, and long in the back stopping mid-calve.

She had on matching grey, thigh-high tights and grey flat as well. The sleeves covering her arms began at her biceps, tight so they wouldn't fall and loosened, becoming draping sleeves. She took hold of the moon amulet that always adorned her neck and cried once more, not bother to try and wipe the tears. She missed her family so much. It wasn't that this time was bad, she just couldn't believe the last thing she had ever done to them was lie. They had all told her not to go and she had anyways.

A sob broke out and she covered her face with her delicate hands. But then her thoughts drifted to Akito. If she had not gone, he still would have and he would have been frozen forever. Or, until now, and somehow being without him seemed a much worse fate than without her loving family. That was odd. She frowned. That was not the way it should be, but that was why she was here. She didn't understand the way she was feeling towards the Taiyou prince.

She was supposed to hate him and fight him. But in this new time where their war was done, she just wanted to be close to him. Like she always had, but she had just assumed it was because she loved the thrill of the battle he always gave her. He was a worthy opponent and she found herself waiting, when she woke up from death, for the chance to fight him again.

Natsumi looked up through the opening in the ceiling at the soft sky. Morning had just begun and it looked as if it were going to be a beautiful day. A beautiful day that led to a beautiful night, with a wonderful full moon. She felt herself smiling once more, maybe, just maybe. There was some validity to these people thinking she was the goddess of the moon. She loved the moon and felt it strengthen her. And just as the moon took its light from the sun, Natsumi felt like Akito was truly her sun.

"I'm sorry mother, for not listening to you. But I know that fate wanted me to be with him." She said softly, touching the stone with her hand and closing her eyes. She did miss them terribly, but she knew if Akito had left her in the flow of time, her whole being would have ceased.

She moved away from the monument and headed towards the archway. If she stayed away much longer people would start to worry about her whereabouts. And she hated when people worried, especially when it was about her, because they really did have nothing to fear. She was strong and practically immortal. Natsumi fell forward slightly, her eyes widening.

What was this? She coughed and saw the red splatter hit the floor. She glanced down to her chest and abdomen and could feel something cold and lifeless begin to spread through her. But there was something familiar about the two tips that were sticking out of her. And that was when she realized it, it was her scythe. But how? She cried out in agony when it was ripped out from her, and before she could fall forward a lanky arm wrapped around her. It dragged her back and pressed her against a thin frame of a man. Long, midnight black hair fell into her face and she met the most horrifying eyes she had ever seen.

"Now you know what it feels like to be run through with your own weapon of death, goddess." Orochimaru hissed, holding her scythe out in front of her, crimson red staining the celestial metal. "What a marvelous weapon this is, with the power to take down any deity. Any deity, aside from the moon's master of course, the sun god will be mine."

Natsumi went wide eyed, but she couldn't move. Her entire body was frozen and all she could smell was death and blood. She could actually feel her life leaving her, which was something she had never experienced before. This was nothing like any of the other times she had been killed. "I'm…" she breathed out, her vision blurring. "I'm really dying."

He nodded, and kissed her temple, which convulsed her more than all the agony she was in at the moment. "And so the moon was slain." He whispered into her ear, releasing her from his grip and letting her fall to the floor. Blood began to pool from the two wounds just near her heart and her stomach. "Two puncture wounds so close to one another. Tsk, tsk. There's no healing from that. Kukuku." Orochimaru cackled loudly and stepped over her body, heading for the doorway. "I have granted you your most dire wish moon goddess. I have given you death, something that has escaped you for so many years."

She closed her eyes and tried to fight the empty feeling that started to spread over her limbs. This was it, she was dying, and that insane man was going after Akito. Her hand trembled and she reached towards the doorway, as if the action might call him forth. "Akito…" she breathed out.

* * *

><p>Akito sat bolt up in bed, his breathing labored and his entire body covered in sweat. He placed his hand over his heart and clutched his chest, looking to the window and seeing that it was dawn. But unlike every other morning where he would just go and watch the sun rise, he immediately rose and began to dress quickly, hastily tying his sword to his belt. When he was done he ran for his balcony and leapt off the edge, not caring that he had just sprained his ankle in his landing. It would heal shortly anyways.<p>

He began to run in the direction of the temple with a sense of urgency. He didn't know why he was being called there, but he knew that something was terribly wrong. It was similar to the feeling he had gotten the night that guard had attacked Natsumi, but ten times worse.

When he reached the temple he stopped in his tracks in the doorway, going wide eyed at the sight before him. There lay Natsumi in a pool of blood, unmoving. He ran towards her, falling to his knees and drawing her into his arms. "Natsumi!" he called, shaking her a bit. But she didn't respond, her only movement being the lifeless rolling of her head. Something constricted in his chest then, and he could feel himself begin to panic.

Examining her further, he saw that the wounds on her chest were similar to ones he had received so many times before from her scythe, which he noticed was missing. Then he looked back at her face, which was already beginning to turn white in her death. "No." he said, shaking his head. It was impossible. They were immortal, they couldn't die. And she most certainly wouldn't die and just leave him here. "NO!" he shouted, pulling her closer to him and burying his face in her hair, clutching her fiercely.

Hearing the commotion, the priests ran into the temple, having been on their way to perform their daily prayers. Upon seeing the two gods at the front of the temple, they gasped in unison. "The Goddess of the Moon…she is dead." One said, completely in shock. Akito's head shot up at those words, and he carefully laid Natsumi's body down before turning around and slowly walking over to the group.

"What did you just say?" he asked, his voice dangerously low.

The small man spluttered a bit before replying. "T-the Moon Goddess…she had been slain." He said softly. This made Akito glare hatefully at the man.

"No! She can't die!" he yelled, flames beginning to seep from every pore in his skin and cover his entire body. "She can't leave me!" at this declaration the flames turned blue, becoming the hottest they had ever been. The group of priests backed away from him in fear.

"My lord, please calm down. I'm sure-"

"Calm down?" Akito asked, his voice taking on an otherworldly quality, as if he truly was becoming the god. "CALM DOWN?" the flames burst from him a bit and his eyes became a bright, glowing yellow, making it look like the sun itself had been taken from the sky and replaced his dark green eyes. "Do not order me around!" he shouted as a stream of blue fire began to spiral around his body, and then a yellow one, both intertwining themselves and rotating around him, causing the room to quickly become very hot.

"I am the God of the Sun, you do not tell me what to do!" his flames shot upwards, creating another hole in the ceiling of the temple as the spiral quickened its pace. "Or I will _kill_ you!"

The head priest looked to one of his subordinates. "Go and fetch the king and Lord Haru! I fear they may be the only ones who can get him to calm down!" he ordered. The man nodded and ran from the temple as if his life depended on it. Which, in a sense, it did.

Not too long afterwards the blonde and brunette ran into the temple, slightly out of breath. "What's going-whoa." Kyo said, seeing Akito. "What happened?" he asked, shouting over the loud noise of the flames.

"Lady Natsumi has been murdered somehow, and Lord Akito found her! We can't get him to calm down!" the priest said. "But if he doesn't stop soon, he could burn the whole place to the ground!"

"AKITO!" Haru yelled, walking into the temple, his glare set upon his enraged friend. "Stop this at once!"

The pupil-less eyes of the sun god looked to the one who would dare tell him what to do, and his face contorted into one of rage. "Shut up!" he shouted, the column of flames around him growing in diameter. "I do not have to take orders from you! I could kill you without so much as a flick of my wrist, and there would be nothing left!" he threatened.

"Exactly." Haru said, not letting the heat affect him. Though, he could feel himself beginning to sweat. "If you do not calm yourself down, you are going to incinerate Natsumi's body. And as you said, there will be nothing left."

Akito just stood there for a moment quietly, until the flames began to spread a bit, making everyone believe that he didn't even care about that. But then they slowly started to recede into the dark haired man's body, until everything was gone, save for the fire in his eyes. It slowly faded, and once his eyes were back to their normal shade, he looked the most broken anyone had ever seen him. Without a word he turned and walked back over to the pink haired woman's corpse, lifting it into his arms carefully. He carried her to the front of the temple, laying her gently on the altar between the two platforms where they had awoken. He brushed her hair from her face as he often did, and then just stood there, looking down at her lifeless form.

"Nice work with the burning thing." Kyo whispered to the brunette, not wanting Akito to become angry again.

"Yes well," Haru sighed, his usually chipper demeanor gone. "As much as he pretends to not care, the only one he is fooling is himself." He walked forward and stood beside Akito, staring down at the bloodied goddess. "And so the moon was covered in blood…" he recited solemnly.

Kyo came beside him, standing on the other side of Akito. "I don't understand. I thought she was immortal."

"Obviously we aren't." Akito said harshly, not taking his gaze from Natsumi. "I believe she was killed with her own weapon, as indicated by the puncture marks."

"Are you certain?" the king asked, looking at him.

"Yes, I have been slain by her scythe enough times to know." Coming to a conclusion of his own, he drew his sword, holding out his arm and placing the blade against his wrist. "I should join her."

"No!" both men yelled in unison.

Haru smacked at his hand, making him drop the weapon since he was still feebly trying to hold on to what little sanity he had left. "Are you out of your mind? What kind of man are you? You're just going to allow her murderer a free ride out by killing yourself? Where is your damn pride?" he glared, facing Akito fully. "Do you even remember the prophecy? So long as the moon is covered in blood and the sun in darkness, evil will prevail. If you kill yourself, you will be lost in the darkness of death. And then everyone will die. Do you understand that? You are life Akito, the sun. You cannot give up hope because your moon has been slain."

"I have no happiness." He whispered. "No reason to shine."

"You cannot just abandon everyone now, not after everything that has happened. People have died trying to make this prophecy come true, your father died making this prophecy come true." Kyo told him.

"I don't care. My father means little to me now." Akito said, never looking at either of them, his gaze still on the dead woman before him.

"But you are the source of everyone's strength. If you just give up, we will fail."

"Doesn't matter. Natsumi is dead and covered in blood. Even if I were to stay alive, the prophecy has already been broken. At least in death I can be with her." The ebony haired man said.

Kyo faced him fully. "You do not know that. The moon _is_ death. Life and death may be intertwined, but if life is gone, you may go somewhere where she is not. She is the death goddess. Her place may be different than where you go."

"Akito…I know that you care for her, more than anything else in the world. In the past, as well as now." Haru frowned, placing his hand on the god's shoulder hesitantly. "But you know as well as I do that she doesn't want you to die."

Akito's hands clenched into fists at his sides. "Fine. I will not end my life. But that doesn't mean that I am going to help you. For now, I want to be left alone."

"I'm not sure-"

"Get out." He ordered, his voice flat.

Haru sighed and faced the entrance. "Don't do anything stupid. We'll be back later if there's any news." He said, walking off to leave the mourning man. Once the temple was completely empty, Akito dropped to his knees before Natsumi, breaking down and crying into the cold granite of the altar, for the first time in his life feeling utterly and completely alone.


	9. Restitution

**Polarity**

_Chapter Nine_

-Restitution-

Akito stayed alone with Natsumi the rest of the day, not moving from his spot beside her. He didn't believe that she was dead, regardless of what everyone else said. Every time he was killed he came back to life within the day, and so if he stayed here long enough he would see her wounds beginning to heal, and she would eventually wake. At least, that's what he told himself. There were countless times where he though he saw her breathe, or begin to move, but it was just his imagination.

As night fell, he noticed that the temple became pitch black, so that he could barely see his hand in front of his face. Lighting his hand, he slowly walked out of the temple and saw that it was like that around the entire area. He looked to the sky, searching for the moon. Unable to find it, it was then that he finally accepted that she was dead, and would never be coming back to him. The hollow feeling in his chest grew and solidified, leaving an empty cavern where his heart once was. He had nothing to share his light with anymore, and nothing to help guide him through the darkness.

He slowly made his way back into the temple and over to her, standing over the altar where she lay. His eyes were lifeless, and now as he watched her, he didn't try to trick himself into believing that she would come back, since he had lost all hope of that ever happening. For two days he stood there, unmoving, until finally his mind began to process everything that had happened.

Natsumi had been murdered, and he wanted to find them. They would pay for taking his only happiness from his life, for making him feel abandoned and alone. Nobody did that to the sun god and got away with it, no matter how powerful they thought they were. Because not only was she dead, but she didn't even know how he felt about her, something he had only recently discovered.

The truth of the matter was that Natsumi was the only stability he had in his life. He could always count on her, and he knew what to expect, even if most of the time they were trying to kill each other, he still knew that she would be there. When he died, he knew that she would be there with him and in the land of the living when he awoke. And now, when he died, he would be alone, the same as when he woke up.

He had nothing to live for now. At first his reason for living was to fight in the war against the moon worshippers and to fight Natsumi. Then, upon breaking from the crystal, it had been to try to get to know her better and actually help these people in their time of need. But now that she was gone, his existence was that of a ghost, haunting the land of the living and watching everyone around him die while he remained young. His would be a half-life.

Suddenly he grew angry, and his fists clenched. He was going to make her murderer pay a debt so terrible they would regret even letting the idea of killing Natsumi enter their heads. His mind made up, he turned and left the temple, making his way back to the palace. He decided to bathe first, wanting to keep a good appearance, before heading down to the dining hall, since they would just now be sitting down to lunch.

He burst through the double doors, gaining everyone's attention. "I want to hunt down and kill this bastard, so someone better know who it was that killed her." He said fiercely, stopping at the end of the table.

Kyo smirked slightly, glad to see that the god was beginning to make sense. "Oh we know who did it." he told him.

"Who?" Akito asked, looking at the blonde.

"Orochimaru." Haru said simply, ripping off the meat from a hard bone and chewing on it. "He came to the palace while we were gone trying to calm you, he was looking for you. He threatened Satomi with Lady Natsumi's scythe."

The pink haired queen nodded, "He said that he would await for you to come to him and then vanished in a dark mist. Though, he looked odd, like…his flesh was decaying on his body. And the scent of death surrounded him."

"You said he was an immortal?" Akito asked, and Kyo nodded. "Well, if he can kill a goddess, then there's a way to kill him. If he wants me to come to him, I am more than willing to do so." He said determinedly.

"I will go with you." Haru said, standing from his place at the table. "I hate Orochimaru, but this is unforgivable. To kill a woman…what a snake." He seethed.

Satomi turned her gaze from Haru and focused on Akito. "What of Natsumi? Is she still on the alter?"

"Yes."

"Well," she began, looking hesitant. "Before you leave…we should properly send her off to the Otherworld. It is customary now to be cremated and we can spread her ashes in the wind so her spirit may be fully freed from this earthbound imprisonment."

"No." he said harshly, glaring at her. "If anything is to be done with her body, it will be buried, the way they did it in our time. Besides, I swore she would never feel the burn of flames again, and that still stands even in her death."

They were all on edge from the spike in power they felt, but Satomi slowly nodded. "Alright. We will do that. Everything will be prepared when you return." Kyo spoke up then.

"So, when do we leave?"

"If you can be ready to depart in an hour, I will go and say goodbye to her." Akito said.

Kyo stood. "Very well. We will meet you in front of the palace." He said.

Akito just nodded before turning and leaving the dining hall as swiftly as he had arrived. He walked back to the temple, shooing away and burning the flies that had gathered around her corpse while he was gone. He stopped next to her, stroking her cold cheek tenderly. "Natsumi, I am going to go and kill the man responsible for this." He said softly. "And when it is over, I am going to find a way to be with you again, no matter how long it takes me." Sadness overwhelmed him then, and he laid his forehead against hers, still stroking her cheek. "Because I have come to love you in the time we've spent together, and I cannot bear knowing that you died without this knowledge." He choked out. "So farewell, my moon goddess. Until we meet again." Then he gently pressed his lips to her frozen ones, kissing her for the second time in his entire life. He held her face in his hands, his desperation for her life being shown in his deep, passionate kiss. He couldn't believe she was dead. She couldn't leave him, he needed her to survive. He may be the sun, but she was still his light and his hope. "Natsumi," he breathed out, sounding frail and child-like. "I need you." He whispered against her lips, wrapping his arms around her and bringing her up against him in a tight embrace.

He felt his body begin to heat up, but he was not the one causing it. Suddenly his joints were tingling, and then the feeling vanished. All of the power was gone momentarily, making him feel friable and weak, almost exhausted. But what happened next made everything come crashing right back down onto him. Slowly, but surely, the lifeless body in his arms moved, and he could feel the faint, but steady, heartbeat from her chest. He pulled away from her, looking down at her face.

"Natsumi?" he asked, feeling hope begin to spark inside him once more.

She gasped out and her eyes fluttered open, looking more vibrant than ever. She looked around and then focused on the man before her smiling beautifully. "Tai!"

"Tai?" he asked, looking confused, and somewhat hurt. After all, this was not the reaction he had been expecting when her heart had begun to beat again. "Who is Tai?"

Her expression fell and she looked saddened. "I'm sorry." She frowned, lifting her hand and holding his face tenderly. "I assumed you were awakened Akito, I am not Natsumi. I am Shichi, the goddess of the moon."

"No." he breathed in devastation, his arms becoming slack, causing her to fall backwards a bit. The small amount of light that had come to his eyes upon hearing her heartbeat was gone, causing the green depths to appear lifeless once more as he looked completely broken.

She sat up and placed her hand beneath his chin, lifting his head from its downcast position. "Are you distraught, young prince?" she looked to him sympathetically. Even though it was Natsumi's face, they looked nothing alike.

"Why did you come back instead of her?" he asked softly. "I need her, not you." He didn't mean it as offensively as it had sounded, but it was the truth. Natsumi was his love, not this woman who now inhabited her body.

Shichi smiled, stroking his cheek with her thumb. "I know sweet Akito. I know that you miss her, but this is why Tai and I descended upon you two. This immortal is going to destroy our world and he has taken from you the one thing you love. I need yours and Tai's help to vanquish him."

"But I don't know anything about being a god." He said. "Nor do I know how to awaken Tai."

"You are a god Akito. You always have been. You know exactly how to be one. You've just never allowed yourself to be unleashed. Your emotions that you've pent up your whole life are the key. When Natsumi was murdered by that accursed immortal you allowed them out and became god-like." She said, looking around the temple once more and moving experimentally. She got up and stumbled slightly, only to have Akito, out of instinct, get up and steady her. "This body is still very sore. She must have been in so much pain…" Shichi frowned and placed her hand over the wounds on her body.

"You should heal shortly." He said, letting go of her. "Even if I did become god-like once more, I still do not see how Tai would be of any help, since he is not here." His brow furrowed. "Where is he anyways?"

She faced him fully and pointed to his heart, touching his chest with her index finger. "He is housed within you. I assumed, when I awoke to your face, he had already awakened. But I also never predicted that Orochimaru would kill Natsumi. We both chose you two once you were born and reincarnated ourselves into your beings."

"I don't understand. Why did you choose us? And how did you even come back to life?"

She sighed. "I know not why Tai chose you. But I chose Natsumi because I saw how much she could love. And the purity in her heart, it was a pity she was born in such a savage and violent time. I can only assume you were chosen because you are so passionate, noble, and strong." Shichi smiled, her expression nothing but endearing. "And I never died. I am immortal, thus it is impossible to slay me. When I was impaled with my own scythe, I was trapped within the corpse of my mortal counterpart. I'm not exactly sure how I was freed, all I felt was warmth and desperation and then I was awake."

His jaw clenched as he realized that he had brought her back from the dead when he had kissed her, because he had been feeling so desperate in that moment. He hated feeling this way, he hated even having feelings. This was why he didn't allow himself to feel, all it did was make things worse. He didn't care if it would cause him to become stronger with his powers. Clearly the sun god had chosen wrong when he had been picked. "I want to kill Orochimaru." He said, hating the man even more now that he had permanently taken Natsumi from him, causing him to be stuck with some woman in Natsumi's body, which was even worse than when it was lying lifeless on the altar.

Shichi frowned, looking almost heartbroken. "Please don't be angry with me Akito…if you help me. I can grant you what you most desire."

He sighed. "I want to believe you, but being filled with hope only makes the disappointment worse."

She looked angery, almost beyond recognition. "You doubt me boy?" she snapped. "I am the goddess of death. But without hope you will not be able to accomplish this task. Nor will I be able to summon the woman you _love_ back from the Otherworld. So if you would rather get your heartless revenge, then so be it. You will spend the rest of your days alone."

He glared at her, showing emotion for the first time since he had discovered she wasn't Natsumi. "Excuse me for not wanting to be hurt again." He said, beginning to heat up. "But I highly doubt that you have ever seen your love dead and been unable to do anything about it! Do you have any idea what's like to feel incomplete and alone? Because I do!" he actually yelled, flames beginning to sizzle on the surface of his skin. "When I find that bastard I am going to give him the most painful death in the world for what he did to her. So go ahead and call me heartless. You know _nothing_ of what I feel." He finished, his eyes shimmering from unshed tears. Not wanting her to see, he looked off and closed his eyes, calming somewhat and letting the flames die down.

"You are correct." She grimaced, hating his sadness and feeling something inside her yearn to comfort him. "I do not know what it is like to see Tai dead. But I do know what it's like to feel anguish." She touched her hand to her heart. "I must go decades, chasing after my love and never being able to touch him, only to glimpse at him. Until a certain alignment, a solar eclipse, and I can finally be with him for a short time. So don't you patronize me boy." She pointed at him warningly. And it was then that he noticed, even though she was angry and her tone, nothing was happening to the temperature, which normally fluctuated when Natsumi lost her cool.

"Why…didn't it get colder?" he asked softly, momentarily being torn out of his anger.

Shichi breathed out, looking slightly irritated. "Because, I do not possess the power of ice. That was Natsumi's gift."

"So, Tai doesn't possess the power of fire?" She nodded in response and he sighed, making his decision. "I will help you defeat Orochimaru. Just tell me what I need to do. Kyo and Haru will be coming with us, and are waiting for me at the castle as we speak."

Shichi looked grim, dreading his reaction from her next words. "Your journey will have to wait, I must rest this night. And we can start out in the morning."

He didn't appear to be pleased by the news, but nodded anyways. "Okay. Come with me then, and I will show you to Natsumi's room." He said, turning and walking down that aisle of the temple. She followed after him silently, watching his back as they walked. She couldn't help but feel elated at the thought of his love. It made her happy, that the body of his love was alive but he could barely stand to touch it with the young princess not in it.

"You are very devoted."

He chuckled slightly and looked over his shoulder at her. "It isn't the same if it's not Natsumi, no matter what form she's in." he said. "Besides, even if I kept in contact with you as if you were, you belong to Tai, not me."

She nodded. "This is true. It's just unusual is all. Most would kill for the opportunity to bed me."

"True, but it's not like you would let them anyways." He smirked, facing forward once more as they walked through the forest.

Shichi laughed and looked up at the palace that was coming up. "You are correct." They headed into the castle town and every eye turned in shock. It didn't take them long to reach the castle and once they did they stopped, seeing the blond and brunette heading down the main hall.

They stopped in their tracks, both going wide eyed at the woman following Akito. They stopped in front of the two men, and Akito gestured to her. "This is Shichi, the Goddess of the Moon, who is now controlling Natsumi's body until we can defeat Orochimaru. Shichi, this is Kyo, the King, and this is Haru." He introduced, gesturing to both of the men.

"It is nice to make your acquaintance." She smiled, lacing her fingers together.

Both still looked in awe. "Oh my goddess," Haru whispered, still wide eyed. They both knelt on one knee and placed their hands over their hearts. She gestured for them to rise and when they did they couldn't stop staring at her. "But…what about Natsumi?"

"She is no longer of this world."

"We will be leaving tomorrow for Orochimaru's lair. Tonight Shichi needs to rest." Akito told them.

The both nodded, but didn't look at Akito. She passed them by heading into the palace and disappearing into the white halls. Haru tore his gaze from where she left and then back to Akito. "She can't really be…if her body is…" and for the first time Akito actually saw the brunette looking confused.

"She was residing in Natsumi's heart, just as Tai, the God of the Sun is in mine. I…freed her unknowingly in my goodbye, and so now she has full reign of Natsumi's body." He explained. "But I have been assured that she will give me Natsumi back once Orochimaru is vanquished."

They both looked to one another warily. "I have upmost confidence in our goddess…but Akito…bring her back? You do know that if a mortal is in the spirit world for too long, they will be stuck there forever, right?"

"That is why we are leaving at first light." Akito said. "You just have to have a little hope my friend." Akito smirked, patting him on the shoulder before walking past the two and into the palace. He was utterly exhausted, since he hadn't slept in almost three days, and would need all of his strength for the fight tomorrow.

Kyo watched him leave, somewhat befuddle. "Was that the same Akito who tried to commit suicide only a few days ago?" he asked.

"I've no idea. This is very odd." Haru said, looking to the king. "Though…I didn't realize Akito was so strong. I haven't the faintest idea what it must feel like to know your love is dead while her body is alive."

"I don't even want to know what that feels like." The blonde king said, shaking his head. "Well, since we'll be leaving tomorrow, I might as well see to it that everything is in order in case I do not return." He sighed, heading back into the castle.

Haru feigned worry. "Not come back?" and then he laughed. "Kyo, you have to come back, more than any of us. You have a child." He said following after his king.

"I know, but what kind of a father would I be if I didn't protect the kingdom my child would inherit? Besides, it never pays to be prepared for the future." He said, raising a finger in the air.

"You shouldn't go. I can handle this. Akito can handle it. Plus, so long as the moon goddess isn't using Natsumi's body for gains other than victory over Orochimaru we have her on our side." He tried to reason.

He looked unsure. "I don't know. It is a king's job to protect his people, and I don't want it to seem like I'm just copping out. I mean, I am fit and able to fight."

"Just think about it. You know I will be by your side should you choose to go." He said, patting his sire's shoulder. "I am going to say my farewells to Tomoyo. She's going to give me an earful for making her worry and then torturing her with another night of my presence." He laughed, waving over his shoulder.

Kyo continued into the palace, off to find Satomi and tell her of the news. No doubt he would be receiving his own earful as well, and had a feeling that she would try her best to convince him to stay anyways, since she now had more time to work her argument. He squared his shoulders and prepared himself for one of the hardest battle he would ever have to fight. The one against his wife.


	10. Termination

**Polarity**

_Chapter Ten_

-Termination-

Akito stood at the front of the palace, watching as the first rays of the sun began to break the tree line. Today was the day. The day he was going to kill that swine Orochimaru and get Natsumi back. He was going into this battle with every intention of winning, whether or not he made it out alive.

He had dreamt of her last night, but instead of causing him pain, it gave him a renewed sense of hope for the battle to come. It was as if she was trying to reassure him from beyond the grave that everything would work out if he just had a little faith. He heard the crunching of gravel then, and knew that he was no longer alone.

He glanced back, seeing Shichi. That was odd, he thought idly to himself. She had Natsumi's face but he didn't even mistakenly think her as such. Kyo and Haru were behind her, both dressed for battle. Haru had a large sword fastened to his back and tugged at his cloak, trying to fix it.

Shichi was wearing what Natsumi usually wore and had nothing more aside from a black cloak. "I need my scythe back." She told him when they stopped. "Without it, I cannot bring Natsumi back."

"I am sure Orochimaru has it, so we will just have to retrieve it when we get to his hideout." He looked to Haru. "Where is he located?"

"It's in the center of the continent." He sighed, pulling out a map and opening it. "It will take at least five days to get there on horseback."

Shichi frowned and looked to Akito. "If Natsumi remains in the Otherworld for ten days, it will be impossible to retrieve her. Hades only waits for so long before filtering out the dead into where they are to spend eternity."

Akito stiffened. "But it's already been four days." He said. "We'll be cutting it really close by the time we arrive. Isn't there a faster way?"

Haru shook his head, "That is the fastest way. We need to leave now."

"Then let's go." Akito said, causing the entire group to head for their horses and gallop in the direction of the immortal mage's lair.

* * *

><p>The four stopped, staring up at the massive fortress that was carved into the mountains. Shichi stared up at the place and then back down to the group. "Does anyone else…feel that this journey was a bit too easy?"<p>

"Satomi said he was waiting for me." Akito said, looking up at the place. "Perhaps he made it easy on purpose in his eagerness."

"I think you need to be careful." Haru warned. "I don't find it comforting that he is waiting for you…because then, what does he want?"

"I don't know." He admitted. "But whatever it is he isn't going to get it."

"Well, standing here musing about it isn't going to let us find out any quicker. Besides, we need to finish this as soon as possible if you want to have any chance of getting Natsumi back." Kyo said.

"Yeah." Akito dismounted his horse then, as did everybody else.

They walked up together, and it only became more alarming when no one stopped them in their ascent to the mountain. "I don't like this…" Shichi whispered, there was something odd in the air that was making her skin crawl.

"I feel it too." Akito replied, reaching out and gripping her hand in his. "Do not forget that my purpose is to give you strength, and vice versa." He reminded her, repeating something Natsumi had once told him. She laced her fingers with his and nodded, staying close to him.

They continued towards the mountain until reaching it, still no obstacles in their way. Everyone silently took a fortifying breath before walking down the dimly lit entrance in the form of a cave that lay within. Once they reached the main section of the fortress, they could see that it was built by stone that had worn away somewhat be water over the years. Basically, the entire place looked extremely creepy. Akito drew his sword with his free hand, Kyo and Haru doing the same.

Continuing to make their way through the place, they all halted when they noticed a man with long silver hair in a ponytail standing at the top of the steps. The man's black eyes widened slightly when he saw Shichi, but he just looked to Akito. "It's about time you got here. Now follow me." He said, turning and walking down the hallway. They all exchanged uncertain looks, before being startled from their doubts when the man turned back around. "Do you want to see my master or not?" he asked. At the glare Akito gave him, he smirked. "That's what I thought." Then he continued on his way. Hesitantly, they followed him, making sure to keep their guards up.

Shichi scrutinized the man before them and her eyes widened slightly. "I remember you…"

"As well you should my lady." He replied, looking at her over his shoulder. "For I have tried many times in the past to kill you." He smirked, facing forward once more.

"Why?" she demanded, growing angry. "You know what will happen if you destroy me. The world will deteriorate."

"Exactly. Complete and utter chaos." He chuckled. "And I want to see what the sun will do as a result of your absence. Sheer curiosity demands it."

Shichi stopped, glaring at Kabuto. "Do not provoke Tai. He will not show you any mercy should you attempt again."

Kabuto snorted. "I do not fear someone who is virtually unreachable." He waved off her warning. "Now hurry up, Master Orochimaru has been kept waiting long enough." Her glare only turned icier as they followed and finally they came to two large black doors. Kabuto pushed one open and led them inside the massive throne room. Shichi went wide eyed.

"My scythe!" she yelled, walking forward angrily towards the deteriorating man that was sitting on the throne. Orochimaru stood, gripping more tightly onto the celestial metal.

"Yes. I can now deal instant death with a swing of this blade. And it can even separate mortal from god. Though I am surprised you are awake. Tai is infuriating sometimes. He always has to have his pretty little wife safe."

"I'm going to kill you for what you've done." Akito said, glaring hatefully at the old man as his grip on his sword tightened in his anger.

Orochimaru began to chuckle. "Oh yes, the boy from the sun. Why don't you just step forward and I will send to join your little princess. I don't need you, I need Tai."

"For what?"

Shichi's eyes widened and she looked horrified. "You wouldn't…"

The overlord smirked evilly, walking down the steps toward her. "Yes."

"I will not allow it." She said defiantly. Orochimaru grabbed her face and forced her closer, holding the tip of the scythe to her stomach.

"You can't do anything about it. I have your scythe and I'll kill you and then I kill the boy and seal away Tai and once all that is finished, I will inhabit that boy's fine body." He smirked, leaning closer to her.

"Like hell we'll let you take over Akito's body!" Haru snapped, holding his sword at Orochimaru. "Now let her go!"

"God, what a pedophile. I mean seriously." Kyo grimaced, raising his weapon. Akito's glare simply hardened, and he allowed his flames to engulf his sword.

"Like hell." He said, before shooting fire at the man holding Shichi. Orochimaru looked up and smirked, grabbing hold of Shichi and moving her in front of him as a shield.

Akito's eyes widened and his promise flashed across his mind as he quickly and very painfully recalled his flames, drawing the intense heat back into his body and gritting his teeth at the pain. "Quit being a coward and fight me." He said, panting slightly from the effort it had taken to bring his power back inside himself, something he had never done before.

"No." he said simply, pressing the tip of the scythe into her abdomen. "Now, give me your swords or I will kill her. You can either both lose, or just you can lose." He smirked, tracing his fingers along her jaw line. "It'd be a shame if you had to see this body bloody and lifeless twice. Your poor psyche wouldn't be able to handle it."

Akito's eyes widened and he felt his anger and fear slowly beginning to spread throughout him, along with something else. He could feel something, another presence of some sort, and it was not happy. He guessed it to be the dormant god within him, knowing that it was now his love being threatened, and Natsumi's body. He wanted nothing more than to kill this man, but something told him not to. If he tried, Shichi would die, and because she was the real moon goddess, it just couldn't happen. So, reluctantly, Akito tossed his double-swords at Orochimaru's feet. "There. Now release her." He ordered.

"Akito! No!" Shichi screamed, being silenced as Orochimaru thrust the scythe into her and then ripped it out, throwing her to the ground. He reached for the sword quickly, still holding the scythe in his hand. He moved a lot quicker than any of them thought he could move. Using the scythe's reach he impaled Akito to a nearby pillar and took the sword and stabbed it right through his heart.

Akito's eyes widened as the life quickly left them and his form fell lifeless, hanging from the pillar. Then, all of a sudden, flames began to form on his shoulders, spreading over the entire form. Orochimaru frowned and looked down at the scythe, shoving it further into the body. "Why isn't it sealing you!" he yelled, looking outraged as he met the sun god's furious and fiery gaze.

Tai simply straightened and grabbed the hilt of the sword that was imbedded into his chest, ripping it out and hitting the evil man across the face with a flaming hand, causing him to lose his grip on the scythe and fly across the room. Then he ripped out the other weapon, now holding one in each hand. "You are foolish enough to think you can kill me when you first stabbed me with the scythe of death and then the sword of life? Foolish wizard. Akito had not yet fully died, and still remains within this body, allowing me to control the fire I gave him." he walked over to the bleeding form of his love. Looking down at her, he slashed his sword across her form, instantly her eyes flashed open and it looked as if the bleeding had ceased. "Rise dearest, and help me slay our foe." He said, transferring both weapons to one hand while holding the other out to her, letting the flames die so that she would not be harmed, though his eyes remained as golden as the sun.

Slowly, she lifted her hand and placed it in his. He pulled her up from the floor and against him, enjoying the small type of contact he could have with her. "Tai," she breathed out lovingly, pressing against him and covering his mouth with her own in a desperate kiss. "I've been waiting for you for so long."

"I know Shichi." He murmured, stroking her cheek tenderly before kissing her once more. "It killed me to know you were awakened and I was not present. But you know that I love to make an entrance." He smirked, pulling away from her slightly. "Otherwise the sunrise would never be so beautiful."

She laughed, "Just as self-centered as ever." She smiled and then shifted her gaze to the recovering snake. "My master," Shichi frowned. "This disgusting half of a man killed Akito's love."

"Yes." Tai said, following her gaze, his own turning into a deadly glare. "Not only that, but he threatened you numerous times, and tried to kill you before my eyes. And I do recall Akito saying something along the lines of killing him in the most painful way possible." He raised the hand holding the weapons and blue flames shot forth, quickly engulfing the immortal and burning his flesh.

She took her offered weapon and walked towards the shrieking form that was twisting around on the ground, just like a tortured snake. "I will bind his soul to his body. So that even in death you will decay as if your flesh is burning. You will forever feel the pain you are feeling right now." She spoke to him and thrust her scythe down directly into his heart. She gripped the pole with both hands and twisted it, muttering something in a language Kyo and Haru could not understand.

Tai came up next to her, looking down on the man with contempt. "I think it is time we kill him. He has lived for far too long." He said, twirling his sword in his hand expertly. She nodded and removed her now bloodied scythe from him.

"Take his life away my love and I will seal his death, as we do for every mortal. But let's make this one painful." She smirked and readied her scythe once more.

He smirked as well, tightening his grip on his sword. "With this sword, I take the life that I gave you, as it is rightfully mine." He said, impaling it in the man's breastbone and through his spine, breaking both in the process.

"And with this scythe, I force upon you the death that you have evaded for far too long. For it is mine to decide where to condemn. And I condemn you to hell." She seethed, thrusting down into his other breast and clashing against the sword already within him. As the two metals collided, Orochimaru's body ignited in silvery flames that ate away his immortality and what was left of his mortal flesh.

When there was nothing left, Tai sheathed his sword and turned to the grey haired man trying to sneak out of the room. "You." He stated, pointing at him. Kabuto froze in his tracks and looked at the sun god, completely wide eyed.

"Me?" he asked, pointing to himself.

Tai's smirk made the other man's skin crawl. "Your curiosity, has it been sated? Or do you require another demonstration about what I will do to whoever threatens my wife?" he asked darkly.

"N-n-n-no, my lord. I do believe I saw enough." The glasses wearing man stuttered, shaking his head rigorously.

"I do not believe you did." The sun god stated, shooting flames at the man and watching him run around screaming as they slowly burned his flesh and killed him. When he collapsed to the ground and his corpse continued to burn, Tai looked to the woman beside him. "Shichi, can you ever forgive me for taking so long to come to your aid?" he asked, brushing her hair from her face.

She smiled up at him, leaning into his caress. His touch felt so perfect and she had longed for it ever since her awakening. "Of course, I could never hold anything against you my love. You are my strength." She said softly, leaning against him in pure bliss. Then her eyes widened. "Oh no. Natsumi." She gasped, looking up at her consort. "There isn't much time my dearest, you must call Akito worth and send his spirit into the Otherworld once I open the gate. He has merely three hours to retrieve his love from the dark abyss before she is gone forever."

He nodded, closing his eyes momentarily and concentrating. Suddenly, another form appeared in front of the two gods, and when is solidified a bit more to where you could barely see through it, it revealed itself to be Akito. The sun god opened his eyes then. "Uchiha Akito, you have done well, and it is time to go and find your love." He instructed. Akito nodded and looked to Shichi then, knowing that she would be the one to guide him.

"What must I do?"

"I will open the gate to the Otherworld for you and you must go alone to find her. You've only three hours to find her, and the spirit world is vast and nearly endless and there are many dangers." She paused and took a fortifying breath. "When you find her, you will have to make a trade for her soul." She lifted her scythe and backed away, holding it straight up and high in the air, muttering in her ancient language, she ripped through the air with her scythe and it seemed like the world was a cloth picture, a hole now cut into it and darkness in the gap. "Go! You must hurry and return to this exact point! Do not lose your way and find you light." She urged.

Without a word he ran into the opening, quickly disappearing. Kyo and Haru stood there with their mouths open wide. "I think I've seen more today than many people do in their lifetime." The king said in awe.

Haru just stared at the two, who seemed to have a glow about them. They were obviously not Akito and Natsumi, as much as they still looked like them. "Well…I have no idea what's going on right now and frankly, I'm very confused. So I'm going to go find the kitchen in this place and get something to eat." The brunette waved to the two gods who were staring curiously at the other two.

"Hey, wait up!" Kyo shouted, sheathing his sword and running after his friend.

Tai looked to his love. "Mortals get stranger and stranger every time we come to earth." He said.

"I know." She sighed. "Such odd beings." She smiled up at him and then looked to the void. "I hope that he is successful…he needs happiness."

He wrapped his arm around her waist and held her to him, laying his head on hers. "They both do." He said, hoping that things went well for the young prince.


	11. Reclaim

**Polarity**

_Chapter Eleven_

-Reclaim-

Akito hated it here. He hadn't been here long, but had quickly learned that the Otherworld was not a pleasant place. It was dark and cold, and because he was in his spirit form, he couldn't use his natural heat to keep the chill away. So far he hadn't run into any other spirits or beings, but that only made him all the more weary. He didn't have any kind of weapon, and he had no idea what to expect should he run into another being.

He continued to run through the dark depths, searching for Natsumi. He had an uneasy feeling, as if he were being watched, but pushed it aside, wanting to focus on finding the pink haired woman. He refrained from shouting for her, not wanting to draw any unnecessary attention to himself.

After searching for what seemed like hours, though he was sure was shorter, since there was obviously some type of time flux, he began to lose hope. What if she was already lost? What if she was too far into the spirit world that he had no hope of reclaiming her?

He slowed to a walk, going deeper and deeper into dark cavern that was this place, losing more and more hope the farther in he got. It was then that he remembered that he had to have hope, because if he didn't, then he would never get Natsumi back. He had sworn he would do whatever it took to bring her back, and he meant it.

He rounded a corner, going wide eyed and quickly hiding back behind it. There, standing in front of what appeared to be a large lake, stood a huge three headed dog. At that moment it wasn't fear that was pumping through his veins, it was excitement. This meant that he was even closer to the center of the Otherworld, and therefore closer to Natsumi. But how to get past the dog?

Peeking around the corner, he could see that it was pacing the length of the shore. Spotting a few large boulders, he waited until the beast had its back turned to him before making a run for the rocks, diving behind them silently as it turned around. He looked over at the water and realized that it was in fact made up of thousands upon thousands of other spirits. Ones that appeared to have been there for a long time, so there was no way Natsumi would be among them.

Akito guessed that he would be unable to swim through the spirits, and it was then that he remembered about the ferryman. But he had no coins with which to pay for a ride across the lake. His only other option would be to confront the dog, but it was something he would rather not do if he could avoid it.

Seeing no other option, he took a fortifying breath and stood, emerging from behind the boulders and walking towards the dog. Upon spotting him, it began to growl viciously, showing its sharp canines. He held his hands up to show that he meant no harm as he slowly approached the large beast. It did not let up on its snarls, however, and snapped at him when he got too close.

He hesitated in his step slightly, before resuming his walk. Maybe he could get on top of the animal and ride it across the lake. Just then, out of nowhere, it swatted at him. Too slow to jump out of the way, Akito's breath was knocked out of him, and he was sent flying across the murky waters of the lake. He flailed a bit, praying that he didn't hit the surface of the water. Luckily enough, he hit the land on the other side. Ignoring the pain of the impact, he stood and brushed off the dirt that was on his person, glancing at the dog before turning and continuing his path.

He broke into a run, not wanting to waste what little time he had left. Zipping through the corridors that only seemed to get darker the further he went, he came to a stop when he saw three dark figures at the edge of a cliff. They didn't appear to be menacing, as he could tell they were female by their form, but, ever cautious, Akito slowly walked towards them. But when he reached the cliff there was nothing there. He grimaced. He knew what he saw and he knew he hadn't taken his eyes off the forms as he advanced.

Then a chill shot up his spine as someone whispered into his ear. "Young prince searches for forgotten princess." He whirled around and was face to face, if you could even call it a face, with one of the three figures. It was tall, towering at least a head over him, and lanky. It was then he saw that what had made up their feminine form was their massive bat like wings. But up close they looked like worn old hags that had been dead for years. There was another beside it that was closer to his size but much plumper and then another, creeping around that looked thin and gangly.

"Who are you?" he asked, his brow furrowing slightly. "And how do you know that I'm looking for Natsumi?"

"Because we are the Furies." The large of the three seethed out. "Past."

"Present." The one before his hissed.

"And future." The thinnest of them cackled and almost slithered towards him, all three successfully trapping him with his back to the cliff.

"If you are the Furies, then will you tell me where I can find Natsumi?" he asked, knowing from folklore that he was allowed to ask one question.

They passed for a moment and looked to one another with their distorted faces and then faced him once more. "No!" they all yelled at the same time.

"Why not?" he glared.

They laughed together, "What power do you have over us to make us speak such knowledge? You are merely a vessel."

He was quickly becoming frustrated. "Well, is there anything that I can do to change your minds? This is kind of important."

"We know." They barked.

"The most important moment of your life."

"But will you succeed or not?"

"There are two paths." The larger said, holding up two fingers.

"What are they?" he asked.

"All depends."

"If you find her or if you don't."

"And if you don't our lord gets his prize."

"You mean when I find her." He corrected.

They appeared to be somewhat smirking. "_If_ you find her in time. There's less than half of an hour till she is forever trapped here. And Lord Hades _loves_ a pure soul." They cackled, moving closer to him.

"Well if you're not going to help me in any way, then I'm going to continue to look for her." He declared, boldly stepping forward to move past them.

All three of them shot out their hands and shoved him back, right off the cliff. "Enjoy your time in the Otherworld mortal prince!" they laughed and shrieked in pure bliss, taking off into the air and flying off.

Akito hit the ground hard, blacking out for a bit before coming to. He groaned as he got up, cursing the stupid Fates. They were completely useless. Brushing the dirt off of his clothes, he continued on his way, going even deeper into the Otherworld. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw a massive metallic black castle. It was sleek and shining, even though there was no real source of light in the place. He continued forward, since the gates of the palace were open. There were skeleton guards standing on either side of the arch and their hollow sockets seemed to follow Akito as he walked in. But they did nothing to stop him, well since the Furies were useless, might as well ask the man in charge.

Inside the high walls of the castle was something he did not expect to see. There was a beautiful garden and a crystal orb atop a beautiful fountain that gave off a soft, but sun-like glow. There were flowers everywhere and bright colors that were out of place amongst the high and black walls. "Akito?" a familiar voice called softly.

He whirled around and almost believed it to be an illusion until he heard his name again. Natsumi took a step towards him, looking completely heart broken. She was wearing a plain white, floor length dress with straps that tied around her neck. He couldn't help but think how beautiful she looked, even dead, but then noticed her eyes and how she was about to cry. "Did…did you die?"

"I almost did, when I went to kill the man who murdered you." He said, walking over to her. "Tai, the sun god, took over my body, just as Shichi took over yours. We killed him, and Shichi let me come here to retrieve you. They are waiting for us to return right now." He explained. "We must hurry though, for we don't have much time until you won't be allowed to leave."

She looked confused and then shook her head, "Akito I can't leave. I died."

He took her hands in his and held them between their bodies. "But Shichi is allowing me to bring you back! She's the real Goddess of the Moon, and she has the power to do so! Your body is alive and healed, all we have to do is put your spirit back in it." he said, somewhat urgently. "Please come with me Natsumi."

She held his hands tightly, lowering her head, allowing herself to cry. "No, you don't understand I can't. My spirit was severed from my body. I'd have to trade something to be able to go free. But I don't have anything to trade."

He released one of her hands and gently grasped her chin, lifting her face so that he could look into her watery eyes. "Then I will give my soul to Hades in replacement of yours." He said.

"No," she gasped out, looking horrified. "Why would I want to be in a world where you are not?"

"Then I will stay here with you willingly." He said, stroking her chin with his thumb. "I love you Natsumi, and I didn't realize it until you had been taken from me."

She sobbed out, collapsing into him and gripping onto his shirt. "You cannot stay here with me, you are not dead." She trembled, wishing that she could feel comfort from his embrace. "But dying is horrible. It's nothing like what we thought it to be. I'm cold and I am so alone…so, so alone in the darkness and I don't have any light. And as much as I need you, I don't want you to feel this." She cried, unable to tell him of her deep love for him. She feared if she did, it would shatter her soul, because it was reality, she would never get to be with him.

"Who are you?" a bored, yet slightly annoyed voice asked.

Akito looked over at the one who had spoken. "Uchiha Akito. And I have come to take Natsumi with me back to the land of the living."

He was a pale man, and somehow looked ancient and young at the same time. Kind of like Shichi did. It was then, that he realized this must be Hades, god of the Underworld. "You cannot take her, even with the aid of the death goddess." He sighed. Natsumi clung onto Akito, forcing him to stay with her. She didn't want him challenging the lord of the dead for fear of losing him forever.

"Then let me stay with her in Elysium." He requested, holding her closer to him.

"No."

"Why not? You will be getting another soul." He said.

Hades sighed, looking only more irritated as he combed his hand though his dark locks. "What makes you think I want your soul? I've plenty of those."

"If you have plenty, then I do not see why I cannot take Natsumi's." Akito stated.

"Because she is dead and you are not. If you want her soul then you will have to trade something for it. Something you care about deeply." he explained. Natsumi's grip on him tightened and she shook her head.

"Don't do it."

"She is the only thing I care deeply about." He said.

"No it isn't." he said with a smirk. "If you want her, you have to give up your pride. I want your elemental power. If you give up your fire, you will be just like everyone else. If you give me that, I will free her. That is if you can make it in the next ten minutes back to Shichi. "

Without hesitation Akito nodded. "Fine, take it." he said, grabbing Natsumi's hand and looking at her. "Let's go." He said, already heading back the way he had come.

Hades grabbed Akito by the shirt and halted his advance towards the entrance. "I haven't gotten it yet boy." He said seriously, turning the young prince to face him. He thrust his hand forward and it went into him, but not physically, it seemed as if the god's flesh faded and entered his body. Then his heart stopped, literally stopped, and it felt as if Hade's ripped his heart out when he retracted his hand.

Akito actually fell forward, wide eyed, holding his hand over his chest, trying to feel for the wound that he felt should have been there. His energy was gone and he actually felt weak for the first time in his life. "Akito!" Natsumi gasped and kneeled beside him, resting her hand on his back and trying to help him up.

He stood with a bit of difficulty, his legs wobbling a bit. "Don't worry about me. We have to hurry, the journey back to the portal is not a short one." He said.

She set her hand on his stomach and one on his back to steady him. Hades just smirked, tossing around the red orb in his hands. "You better hurry. Because you've only got a small window. I don't think you can make it, and if you don't make it in time, she belongs to me and I will force you back into the world of the living."

Akito glared at the god and then turned, starting a run towards the portal with Natsumi in tow. He still felt weak, and it almost hurt for him to be doing this, but he ignored the pain. It wasn't what was important right now. "Come on Natsumi, I know we can make it!" he yelled to her as they made their way up the hill to the cliff that he had fallen off of.

Natsumi kept a tight grip on his hand, trying to keep up with him. But the further she got from the palace she seemed to get weaker and dimmer. "Akito." She breathed out painfully. "It feels like there's something pulling me back. What if I can't make it?" she trembled, stumbling over her feet."

Akito stopped only long enough to haul her into his arms and then continued running, seeing the vast lake in the distance. "You're going to make it. And if you don't, I will merely find a way to join you once I return to the world of the living."

She huddled into his arms, pressing her faded body against his. "I don't want to be dead anymore." She whispered, closing her eyes tightly. "And I don't want you to die."

"Then we won't. You just have to have faith Natsumi." He said as they came upon the lake. He knew they couldn't swim across it, and there was no other way then by the ferryman, whom he still couldn't pay. So, he did the only thing he could. He leapt onto the boat, sat Natsumi down, and punched the other being into the sea of souls, quickly picking up the stick and ferrying them across himself. Though he was still weak, he persevered, knowing that their time was quickly beginning to dwindle.

When they reached the other side, he picked Natsumi up into his arms once more, noticing that she had yet to reopen her eyes, meaning that they were cutting it close. The three headed dog began to growl at him, lowering one of its heads so that it was right in front of them. Not wanting to be swatted to the other side like he had before, Akito glared at the head that was before him and kicked it in the nose, causing it to yelp at the pain.

"Look here you stupid animal, I don't have time for you. So either get out of my way or help me get to my destination." He said harshly. The dog whined, lowering its head to the ground. Not needing any more prompting, Akito climbed on with a bit of difficulty, since he was holding Natsumi. The dog stood, and then began to run quickly in the direction that the portal was. He looked down at the woman in his arms. "Don't worry Natsumi, we're almost there. Please stay with me just a little longer. Fight it as best you can." He said, holding her to him in slight desperation. He didn't know what he would do if he lost her again.

Her form began to flicker and she finally looked up at him with the last of her strength. "It's hard…" she whispered, her head falling back as her body went limp.

"No! Natsumi, you can't leave me, not again." He whispered, moving her head onto his shoulder and cradling it. He buried his face in her hair, though couldn't really feel nor smell it like he normally would. When he looked up, he could see the portal in the distance, and felt his hope begin to rise. Her spirit was continuing to disappear as every second passed, and he tapped his foot to make the giant dog run faster. It halted at least twenty feet from the portal, and, unprepared for the sudden stop, Akito flew forward with Natsumi in his arms, heading straight for the doorway into the world of the living.

Smiling slightly as it was quickly coming closer, he looked down at the woman in his arms and felt his heart stop and his eyes widen. He could barely see her, and she was so light it felt like he wasn't holding anything at all. "No! NATUSMI!" he shouted just as he passed through.

He hit the ground with a thud and rolled a bit, closing his eyes at the pain. When he stopped his head whipped back in the direction of the portal, seeing it close, and it was then he realized that he hadn't been holding anything at all as he had flown through the air or when he'd landed on the stone floor of Orochimaru's hideout. His eyes shot to the two gods who were standing before him. "Did I make it?" he asked, struggling a bit to stand.

Shichi looked to him sadly and placed her hand over her heart. "I cannot tell. There is one way to find out, but if she hasn't then most likely she'll be trapped in oblivion for all eternity and even when you die, you won't be able to be with her."

"We will return your bodies over to the both of you. If Natsumi is still alive, then she will wake up as herself." He explained. "Though, you won't know until you wake up as well. Since you were dying before you were removed from the body, you will return to that land of emptiness, just as always."

Akito nodded. "Then let's do it."

Tai closed his eyes, seeming to concentrate, and suddenly Akito shot forward, towards his body. His spirit disappeared then, and then the sun god opened his eyes and looked to Shichi. "We should leave now." He said, somewhat sad because it would be a long time until they could be with each other again.

She nodded, "I know." She said, looking away. "We have accomplished what we set out to do." She smiled then and lent her hand out to him. "I love you Tai."

"And I you Shichi." He smiled back, taking her hand in his. They laced their fingers together and closed their eyes, breathing out. Two shimmering forms stepped out from the mortal bodies and Akito and Natsumi's bodies crumpled to the floor, their fingers still intertwined. As the glow began dimming, an exceedingly beautiful woman looked down to the two and smiled, her beautiful pale blonde hair gleaming like the moon's brilliant beams. She turned her dark blue gaze to the man beside her and leaned into him.

"Let us go back to the sky."

Tai smiled down at her, beaming just as the sun shown. He cupped her face with his hand and kissed her deeply, before staring into her eyes with his own liquid amber. Shichi brushed some of his light auburn locks from his face and kissed him once more. He wrapped his other arm around her body and brought her closer. "Do not forget that I will always be with you, even if we are apart." He said against her lips, resting his forehead against hers.

"And I will always follow you, no matter where you go." She whispered, relishing in his embrace for as long as she could before they both disappeared into gold and silver dust, illuminating the room before it all went dark.


	12. Mortality

**Polarity**

_Chapter Twelve_

-Mortality-

Akito frowned as his body began to ache and filled with slight pain. Slowly the feeling of laying on something hard and cold made itself known, and he guessed that that was the source of his discomfort. But there was the feeling of something else. Something that was just barely warm, and touching his hand.

His eyes fluttered open, only to be met with the unconscious face of Natsumi. He gasped and sat up quickly, unlacing their fingers and gripping his head as dizziness filled him. When it was gone, he lowered his hands and examined them. Experimentally he called forth his fire, and wasn't surprised when it never came. It explained why he didn't feel as warm as he used to, or as powerful. He knew he was still a deadly fighter, and strong, but it would take him a while to get used to fighting without his gift.

He turned then and crawled over to Natsumi, lifting her body and placing it in his lap, cradling her in his arms. She was warm, but he didn't know if that was because she was alive and he had made it, or because it hadn't been that long since Shichi had left it to return to her place in the sky. He brushed some of her hair from her face, gently cupping her cheek. "Natsumi?" he asked softly, his fear of having lost her slowly beginning to show in his deep eyes. When she didn't respond, it felt as if someone had ripped his heart from his chest. He pulled her up against his chest in an embrace and buried his face in her hair, inhaling her scent and wishing that she was with him.

He pulled away slightly, and even though he knew it wouldn't bring her back, he kissed her, softly pressing his lips against hers. His eyes flashed open when he felt a hand caressing his cheek and holding his face tenderly and then the pressure against his lips. He pulled away from her and looked down into her face. "Natsumi?" he said, still not believing his good fortune.

She smiled up at him, keeping her hand on his cheek. "That was much better than our first kiss."

He smiled down at her, completely elated. "Yes, well, technically that was our third, so I would hope so."

"Our third?" she blinked, looking confused.

His eyes widened at what he had just let slip. "Um…well…yeah. When you were dead I…kissed you, and that was how you came back to life as Shichi." He said, feeling heat begin to crawl to his face from his embarrassment at having to admit that.

"That's…kinda gross." She laughed, laying back in his lap and closing her eyes. "I'm very tired."

"Me too." He rested his head against hers. "Having my fire taken took a lot more out of me than I thought it would." He said. "I feel almost…naked without it."

She giggled, reaching up once more and holding his face between her hands. "That's ok. I still love you without it." She beamed, feeling her heart soar with her admission.

He smiled at her. "And I love you." He whispered, leaning down and kissing her once more, this time with more passion. When they parted, he searched her beautiful gaze. "I promise that I will always be with you, from now on. In life or death." He stroked her cheek tenderly. "I refuse to be without you ever again."

"I won't ever die without you again." She promised.

"I'm sorry that it took me so long to find you." He said softly. "Without you to guide me, I got lost in the dark for a while."

Natsumi sat up, leaning against his chest and resting her head on his shoulder. "I was so cold without you and so alone. Thank you for coming after me."

"Well what kind of a man would I be if I didn't save the woman I love?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her and holding her to him, wanting to warm her with his natural body heat.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and nuzzled him amorously. "Be with me forever." She whispered.

"Always." He said, resting his head on hers. She kissed him deeply, not ever wanting to let go. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her as close as their bodies would allow.

Haru looked to Kyo in the doorway, holding a piece of half eaten melon. "And so the Sun and the Moon created life from death." The brunette smirked.

"Bringing peace to our bloodstained land."


End file.
